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Microscopic Life is Blooming Beneath Antarctica's Sea Ice, Surprising Scientists
cnet ^ | Jackson Ryan

Posted on 11/18/2022 8:05:53 AM PST by BenLurkin

Many different species of phytoplankton are photosynthetic: They require sunlight to generate energy. When the ocean freezes over, less light can penetrate to the surface where they typically thrive. Scientists have been studying when and where the tiny organisms begin to flourish and have noted this typically occurs when the sea ice retreats. In recent years, work at the opposite end of the world, in the Arctic, has suggested masses of phytoplankton (or "blooms") can and do survive under sea ice in darker, low light conditions.

[S]cientists collected data from 51 floating laboratories ("floats") deployed between 2014 and 2021. The floats can gather biogeochemical signals across the Southern Ocean with a suite of sensors and they can also detect sea ice and dive below the surface, drifting through the water.

Looking at the amount of chlorophyll molecules detected by the floats and comparing with NASA satellite determinations of sea ice cover, the researchers described plentiful blooms of phytoplankton living below the sea ice, typically before it retreats during the polar summer. This was true for about 26% of the measurements made.

2021, the British Antarctic Survey drilled a hole in the Filchner-Ronne Ice Shelf and found unusual lifeforms at a depth of around 4,000 feet. And this past June, New Zealand scientists working at another ice shelf, Ross, melted a hole and found a river of life lurking beneath the shelf, some 1,600 feet down.

Yes, Jurassic Parks fans. Life does indeed find a way. Even in the dark, cold seas of Antarctica.

(Excerpt) Read more at cnet.com ...


TOPICS: Science
KEYWORDS: antarctic; antarctica; catastrophism; ecoterrorism; ecoterrorists; globalwarminghoax; greennewdeal; jacksonryan; phytoplankton

1 posted on 11/18/2022 8:05:53 AM PST by BenLurkin
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To: BenLurkin

Gee, I feel like a genius about now.


2 posted on 11/18/2022 8:08:59 AM PST by Tommy Revolts
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To: BenLurkin

“Well, I’ve got some good news and some bad news. The good news is that the grant money came in. The bad news is that you will be studying microorganisms beneath the ice sheets of Antarctica. May the force be with you.”


3 posted on 11/18/2022 8:13:46 AM PST by crusty old prospector
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To: BenLurkin

I thought the science was settled. Humans destroyed the earth.


4 posted on 11/18/2022 8:21:36 AM PST by FamiliarFace (I got my own way of livin' But everything gets done With a southern accent Where I come from. TP)
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To: BenLurkin

Science- “life on Europa probable”

Also Science- “life under Arctic sea ice unexpected”


5 posted on 11/18/2022 8:29:52 AM PST by Farmerbob
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That’s odd, once again scientists are baffled while I am not surprised in the slightest


6 posted on 11/18/2022 8:33:40 AM PST by dsrtsage ( Complexity is just simple lacking imagination)
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To: dsrtsage
Why would anyone be surprised by this? Life is very persistent.

"Follow the science." Right.

7 posted on 11/18/2022 8:40:16 AM PST by colorado tanker
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To: BenLurkin

If phytoplankton can survive under such conditions, maybe they can live under the icy surfaces of some of the moons of Jupiter and Saturn. NASA needs to send satellites there to investigate. Chances are they won’t find any life, but if they did it would be interesting...totally useless information but no worse than half the things the federal government spends money on.


8 posted on 11/18/2022 8:47:36 AM PST by Verginius Rufus
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To: BenLurkin

Apparently, the springing of life from non-life has been relatively easy, given billions of years and the right environment!


9 posted on 11/18/2022 9:20:46 AM PST by alstewartfan ("She looks like she's 19 years old, sitting there like a lady with her legs crossed." Creepy Joe)
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To: crusty old prospector

How many years will it take for THESE microorganisms to evolve into sentient life, after Armageddon, of course?


10 posted on 11/18/2022 9:23:56 AM PST by alstewartfan ("She looks like she's 19 years old, sitting there like a lady with her legs crossed." Creepy Joe)
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To: BenLurkin

How can that be...they already know everything...things like global warming...


11 posted on 11/18/2022 9:30:18 AM PST by Sacajaweau ( )
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To: Farmerbob

Odd right?

I think they said something similar about the deepest parts of the oceans as well.


12 posted on 11/18/2022 9:31:17 AM PST by EEGator
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To: Farmerbob

bttt


13 posted on 11/18/2022 9:49:14 AM PST by BenLurkin (The above is not a statement of fact. It is either opinion, or satire, or both.)
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To: BenLurkin; 75thOVI; Abathar; agrace; aimhigh; Alice in Wonderland; AnalogReigns; AndrewC; ...
Thanks BenLurkin.



14 posted on 11/18/2022 10:28:37 AM PST by SunkenCiv (Imagine an imaginary menagerie manager imagining managing an imaginary menagerie.)
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To: crusty old prospector

LOL! “Can the space heaters be with me, too?”


15 posted on 11/18/2022 10:30:09 AM PST by BradyLS (DO NOT FEED THE BEARS!)
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To: EEGator

Humans have explored space more than our oceans. They can be very deep and who knows what surprises will be discovered with further investigations.


16 posted on 11/18/2022 10:30:45 AM PST by tob2 (So much to do, so little desire to do it.)
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To: BradyLS

You can power them with windmills and solar panels.


17 posted on 11/18/2022 11:14:36 AM PST by crusty old prospector
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To: BenLurkin

18 posted on 11/18/2022 11:37:45 AM PST by Libloather (Why do climate change hoax deniers live in mansions on the beach?)
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To: BenLurkin

More unsettled science. The plankton aren’t listening to the white coats. They should be banned on social media.


19 posted on 11/18/2022 5:45:23 PM PST by pfflier
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