Deep within Antarctica’s ice caves, a group of scientists may have discovered a secret ecosystem of plants and animals being supported by the warmth of an active volcano. Although average year-long temperatures on Ross Island hover around -17C, including six months between April and September where they don’t rise above -20C, the temperature in cave systems beneath the glaciers can reach 25C. Fraser revealed that it contained traces of DNA from algae, mosses and even small animals that could be living in the underground oasis. Most of the DNA, Fraser admits, is similar to that of species living on the surface. “We don’t yet know just how many cave systems exist around Antarctica’s volcanoes, or how interconnected these subglacial environments might be,” he said.

Source: National Post September 08, 2017 17:11 UTC