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There Is An Absolutely Massive Lake Hidden Deep Inside Antarctica's Ice

Its secrets have been hidden from the world for millions of years.
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Technology editor, HuffPost UK

Scientists have discovered what could be a giant lake buried deep under the ice in Antarctica.

This would be the second biggest subglacial lake discovery in Antarctica after Lake Vostok was discovered and became the sixth largest lake on the planet.

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AK-photo

These vast pools of water are unlike anything else on the planet. Untouched for millions of years and completely sealed off from the outside world they have the potential to harbour thousands of lifeforms that have never been seen before.

Subglacial lakes are also mind-bogglingly clean with water as pure as double-distilled mineral water.

The new lake is believed to be around 100km long and 10km wide. It's also significantly closer to a research station than any other subglacial lake making it perfect for research. 

In addition to revealing entirely new species of lifeforms these lakes can act as a testbed for how researchers look for alien life within our own solar system.

Discovering the lake's secrets is a dangerous task though.

The key is not to contaminate the lake's flawless water with drilling equipment, something which a Russian scientific expedition almost did to Lake Vostok.

Bryn Hubbard of the University of Aberystwyth, UK spoke to New Scientist about the exciting discovery.

“It’s the last un-researched part of Antarctica, so it’s very exciting news, but it’s still tentative pending full confirmation,"

Mother Nature in all her glory: Top 10 nature parks around the world
Banff National Park, Alberta Canada(01 of10)
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Cheapflights.com begins its Earth Day tour of nature parks in Canada at Banff National Park. Canada’s first national park is one of its most breathtaking. Set amidst the Canadian Rockies, the 2,564 square-mile park attracts millions of visitors each year who come to admire the mountain scenery and all of the other natural beauty offered. Banff National Park is also home to mesmerizing, emerald-hued Lake Louise, hot springs, hundreds of miles of trails, glaciers and enough activities to keep you coming back year after year.Image: The unbelievably blue water of Moraine Lake, Banff Nat'l Park, Alberta Canada (LASZLO ILYES)
Plitvice Lakes National Park, Croatia(02 of10)
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Plitvice Lakes National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is one of Croatia’s most popular tourist attractions – with very good reason. Simply put, the park is unforgettably gorgeous. The park houses a network of 16 lakes interconnected by a series of waterfalls. The best way to explore the park is to walk or hike one of the many trails. There’s also a shuttle bus that does one route around the park and, in the summer, a boat can take you from one end of the largest lake to the other. If you want to stay overnight, there are three hotels on site as well as a campground.Image: Plitvice Lakes National Park (Jimmy Harris)
Yosemite National Park, California, United States(03 of10)
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Yosemite National Parkis a year-round destination for nature lovers. Don’t miss a visit to Yosemite Valley, where you’ll find waterfalls, cliffs and unique rock formations, or the chance to see the Mariposa Grove of giant sequoiatrees, the largest strand of giant sequoias (also known as Sierra redwoods) in Yosemite. The park is the perfect place for hiking, snowshoeing, birdwatching, camping, backpacking, swimming and even boating.Image: Breakfast with the Three Brothers (Todd Petrie)
Torres del Paine National Park, Chile(04 of10)
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Chile’s Torres del Paine National Park is a world biosphere reserve that brims with amazing scenery. Glaciers, snow-capped mountains, lakes, forests and unique wildlife are just some of what makes this park so special and the ideal destination for avid trekkers. There are many hikes of varying lengths and difficulty as well as campground and lodges for overnight guests. Hotels can also be found in Torres del Paine for those interested in enjoying what the park has to offer without roughing it.Image: Torres del Paine National Park (bibliojojo)
Canaima National Park, Venezuela(05 of10)
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Located in southeastern Venezuela along the border between Guyana and Brazil, Canaima National Park is one of the largest national parks in the world and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The park is known for its flat-topped mountain formations called “tepuis” as well as for Angel Falls, which is the highest waterfall in the world – more than 15 times higher than Niagara Falls. Canaima National Park is also home to several species of endangered mammals including jaguars and ocelots, and it contains many plant species that aren’t found anywhere else on earth.Image: Angel Falls from our camp (David Kjelkerud)
Jiuzhaigou Valley National Park, China(06 of10)
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This park, the premiere national park in China, is famous for its unique blue, green and turquoise-hued lakes that seem almost other worldly in their coloring. In addition to the sparkling lakes, the UNESCO World Heritage Site is home to nine Tibetan villages, waterfalls, more than 220 bird species and several endangered species including the giant panda and Sichuan golden monkey.Image: Jiuzhaigou Valley National Park (Tomoaki INABA used under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike license)
Komodo National Park, Indonesia(07 of10)
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As the name would suggest, Komodo National Park in eastern Indonesia is home to the Komodo dragon, the world’s largest lizard. The giant reptiles can get to be six to 10 feet in length and this park is one of your best bets for spotting one. But lizards aren’t the only reason to visit. Komodo National Park is also known as an exceptional dive spot and is home to more than 1,000 species of tropical fish, more than 260 species of reef-building coral, seven species of sharks and some marine mammals such as whales and dolphins.Image: Komodo National Park (Java Tourism)
Tulum National Park, Mexico(08 of10)
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Tulum National Park on Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula is an eco-archaeological site where you’ll find one of the area’s most impressive Mayan ruins. The archeological site sits on cliffs above the Caribbean Sea making it a pretty spectacular place to explore, whether you’re walking amongst the ruins or enjoying the white sand beach and turquoise water below.Image: One of the guardians of Tulum (Lars Ploughman used under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike license)
Iguazu National Park, Argentina/Brazil(09 of10)
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Canaima National Park in Venezuela might have the highest waterfall in the world, but Iguazu National Park lays claim to one of the world’s most spectacular. These falls are 262 feet high and have a 8,858-foot diameter spanning the border between Argentina and Brazil. What makes these falls so unique, in addition to their sheer size, is the fact they are made up of many powerful cascades.Image: Iguazú National Park Circuito Superior (Miguel Viera)
Sagarmatha National Park, Nepal(10 of10)
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Nepal’s Sagarmatha National Park is home to the mountain of the same name. You might recognize it by its other name: Mount Everest, the tallest mountain on earth. The park is also home to seven other peaks more than 23,000 feet high, glaciers, valleys, rare species like the snow leopard and 2,500 Sherpa people who live within the vast area.Image: Tibet Mount Everest (Göran Höglund (Kartläsarn))
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