Scientists have long suspected that there are caves under Antarctica's ice sheet. New technology has finally made it possible to peek under mile-high glaciers that had previously been considered inaccessible. Numerous caves and tunnels beneath the ice have finally been uncovered. Some of them look man-made and contain traces of DNA of species that have nothing in common with those known to modern science.
The cracks in the glaciers helped scientists install the necessary radar equipment near Mount Erebus, an active volcano on Ross Island.
The scientists planned to study the volcano, but the sensors transmitted much more interesting information – the image of a vast network of caves.
As a rule, these caves are located between the glacier and the hard rocky surface beneath it. Scientists were able to descend into some of them.
"Deep beneath the ice sheet near the volcano, we've found several DNA samples that do not match any organisms known to science. There's no mysticism here, just new creatures for us so far," says expedition head Joe Fraser.
Supposedly, under each Antarctica's active volcanoes, there are similar caves. They were slowly melted through by underground lava millions of years ago. The volcanoes maintain temperatures that are comfortable for life to develop, which explains the new DNA findings.
What's more interesting is that the caves weren't just found under volcanoes. Deep sinkholes have already been spotted in the ice, and some of them look man-made.
However, it is highly unlikely that these caves have been made by humans. Scientists are inclined to attribute this phenomenon to geology and natural condition, such as seismic activity.
Did you like this article? Don't hesitate to share it with your friends!
Source: trendymen.com
You might be interested in: