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Scientists discover ecosystem of fish below massive ice shelf

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Washington: A team of scientists reminded us that it has plenty of life when they accidentally discovered a ‘lost world’ under the extremely thick Ross Ice Shelf

On January 16 the team was drilling through 2,640 feet of ice with a hot water drill as part of their study on the connection between sub glacial environments and climate change.

Once they drilled through the ice sheet, cameras were carefully lowered to show the researcher what lies below it. They were extremely surprised to find an ecosystem of fish, shrimp-like crustaceans and invertebrates.

“You get the picture of these areas having very little food, being desolate, not supporting much life,” said Ross Powell, a chief scientist with the Wihillans Ice Stream Sub glacial Access Research Drilling (WISSARD) project and researcher at Northern Illinois University.

“Findings such as these – gaining an understanding of the ice sheet dynamics and its interaction with ocean and sediment, as well as establishing the structure of its ecosystem – are especially rewarding. It’s a big pay-off in delayed gratification.”

This is the farthest south of the equator that fish have ever been discovered!

Louisiana State University microbiologist Brent Christner was amazed that life could be found somewhere that has no access to sunlight.

It is very difficult for these fish to find food as food is in short supply in such a deep environment. The researchers still have no idea where the animals in this ecosystem get their food from, but they most likely have to play the waiting game – sometimes for a long time.

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