Lake Vostok
Below about 2.5 miles of ice near the South Pole lies a lake that scientists believe represents a lost world, harboring organisms sealed off from the rest of the planet for millions of years.
Russian researchers, who have been studying the area for years, are drilling down through the ice towards Lake Vostok as they seek to unlock the mysteries of what some say is the last great unexplored frontier on Earth.
The lake under the thick ice is uniquely important because it is so pristine, but all that could be lost forever if the tiniest particle of the outside world is allowed in when the Russian drill pokes through into the water. Learn more about research on the lake.
March 7, 2006 6:46 AM | Category: Technology