6 Comments

I hope all this ancient ice survives in a time of global warming. Whether it is your glacier ice with Scotch, the sounds of melting ancient ice bubbles or your core sample, these instances contribute to my knowledge and curiosity about what is buried in and under the ice.

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marvelous essay!!!! true, the text under the samples reversed right and left, but these things can happen! self-editing is the most dangerous thing-- i know it too well!

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I'll bet the glacial Talisker would pair well with a nice fatty chorizo.

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Great, Great essay! Air is always full of floating organic life I imagine. Have scientists examined the ancient biota released in the popping ice? Could any of the microbiota still be alive? If so, is there a constant recycling in the microbiotic world of DNA? Very interesting!

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A few years ago, it became clear to the ice drilling projects that there were liquid lakes under the Antarctic ice. The Russians stopped drilling before they entered the lake because of fear of contamination. I don't know the current status, but the idea was (and is) that if there is life in these lakes, contamination through drilling is a major issue of both detection and preservation. It's a lot like wondering about the detection of possible life on Mars.

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Fascinating! Great photos!

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