Near one of the poles, no less. I can’t be the only one having flashbacks to The Thing, can I?
Thankfully for my worries, The Thing was set near the North Pole. It’s not like the South Pole could house something like that… right?
Research being undertaken at Lake Vostok near the South Pole has uncovered bacteria that only matches existing organism DNA to (at best) 86 per cent. Anything under 90 per cent indicates that it’s a new species entirely. In the case of this particular bacteria, it’s not only hardy, but also hard to get to. The article in RIA Novosti notes that drilling through the 3.5km thick sheet of ice started back in 1989. That’s a long time to seek out tiny bacteria, although they’re not the only ones hunting bacteria down there.
‘Unclassified’ Life Found in Antarctic Lake – Researcher [RIA Novosti via Slashgear]
Image: John Lester