OT: Cool science, Barb T, and Cthulu

[CameronCat]

I'll admit to being a science junkie on the layman level; I love a good story about interesting stuff that make me think. Even if that's not your thing, you've probably read about the Russian science team in Antarctica that just completed drilling through more than two miles of ice to reach Lake Vostok 12,365 ft below.

The water in the lake is believed to have been iced over 14-20 million years ago and been undisturbed in that time. I'm fascinated by what can or might be learned from such samples. How cool is this?--anybody else as taken with it as I am?

If our resident geologist Barb T is around, I'd love to hear her take on all this, and perhaps get her insights. (There are two other drilling projects on deep lakes also underway in different locations.)

And although I haven't read the Lovecraft books, I've learned a bunch from those here who have the "kilts with certain green stripes." So, just speculating, but might there be one of, erm, them :cthulhusmiley: down there?

[piperdbh]

Ice that's 2 miles below ground? I have some in my refrigerator that's about 3 feet above the floor.

[artificer]

I'll admit to being a science junkie on the layman level; I love a good story about interesting stuff that make me think. Even if that's not your thing, you've probably read about the Russian science team in Antarctica that just completed drilling through more than two miles of ice to reach Lake Vostok 12,365 ft below.

The water in the lake is believed to have been iced over 14-20 million years ago and been undisturbed in that time. I'm fascinated by what can or might be learned from such samples. How cool is this?--anybody else as taken with it as I am?

If our resident geologist Barb T is around, I'd love to hear her take on all this, and perhaps get her insights. (There are two other drilling projects on deep lakes also underway in different locations.)

And although I haven't read the Lovecraft books, I've learned a bunch from those here who have the "kilts with certain green stripes." So, just speculating, but might there be one of, erm, them :cthulhusmiley: down there?

It's actually quite reminiscent of the HP Lovecraft story "At The Mountains of Madness".

ith:

[Dale Seago]

It's actually quite reminiscent of the HP Lovecraft story "At The Mountains of Madness".

ith:

Just what I was thinking.

Tekeli-li!!

[Ryan Ross]

It's actually quite reminiscent of the HP Lovecraft story "At The Mountains of Madness".

ith:

Just what I was thinking.

Tekeli-li!!

Me three.

Heck, there could be Shoggoths down there the size of subway trains, and other, less friendly things...

Hope there are no innocent penguins around.

[hkjrb623]

Even on the microbial level it would be really cool to see what they find.

[James Hood]

Antarctica likely has much to teach us....

[chrisupyonder]

There may be life down there Jim.... But not as we know it!

Yes I am very interested in such stuff. I check in at..
http://www.sciencedaily.com/
most days.

Chris.

[Mickey]

I really geeked out when this story broke. Seriously, a lake in liquid form 2 miles below ice? How cool is that? And to think of what they could find in there. Could be nothing, could be very scary. I'm extremely interested in the sampling.

[LitTrog]

I really geeked out when this story broke. Seriously, a lake in liquid form 2 miles below ice? How cool is that? And to think of what they could find in there. Could be nothing, could be very scary. I'm extremely interested in the sampling.

***

Either way, very cool.