In January, climatologist Vladimir Lipenkov laid a disk of ice onto a light box in an Antarctic lab. The ice sparkled in a kaleidoscope of reds, blues and yellows as light scattered through trapped gas bubbles.
The Search for Life Trapped Under Antarctica's Ice
Antarctica's subglacial lakes, Vostok and Whillans, reveal what life might be like in icy worlds.
By Douglas Fox
Jan 7, 2014 6:22 PMNov 12, 2019 5:03 AM
A drill cut half a mile through the Antarctic Ice Sheet to subglacial Lake Whillans in January 2013. | Kellie Jaeger/Discover
Newsletter
Sign up for our email newsletter for the latest science news
0 free articles left
Want More? Get unlimited access for as low as $1.99/month
Stay Curious
Sign up for our weekly newsletter and unlock one more article for free.
View our Privacy Policy
Want more?
Keep reading for as low as $1.99!
Already a subscriber?
Find my Subscription
More From Discover
Recommendations From Our Store
Stay Curious
Subscribe
To The Magazine
Save up to 40% off the cover price when you subscribe to Discover magazine.
Copyright © 2024 Kalmbach Media Co.