Deep beneath the ice of Antarctica, there lies a dark shape untouched by the eyes of man. No, it’s not an alien spaceship; it’s a subglacial lake first theorized by Russian scientists* and physically discovered in the 1990s. It’s the 4th or 6th largest lake in the world, depending on how you define what a lake is, and it’s completely covered by four kilometers of ice.

Because it’s in the middle of Antarctica – a place not known for balmy days – it’s impressive that the water is liquid at all. The most likely explanation is heat from geothermal vents, but there’s still a lot we don’t know about Vostok and other subglacial lakes.

What’s more, Vostok is very likely to contain life. We can’t say for certain yet, but the odds are getting better every day as scientists continue to look at the data. This would be an ecosystem completely cut off from the sun* for millions of years. It’s an environment not dissimilar to that of Europa. If life can exist in Vostok, why not on Jupiter’s frozen moon?

Story Uses

The potential for Vostok is as deep as the ice that covers it. As an ancient body of water hidden away from the eyes of humankind, it practically screams Lovecraftian Horror. Who knows what could be down there, waiting in the dark.

If eldritch monstrosities aren’t your thing, Vostok and other subglacial lakes could be the last viable sources of fresh water in a dystopian future.* The microbial life within it could hold the key to curing major diseases or, on the flip side, might cause entirely new ones.

There’s even a political aspect to explore. Right now, Russian scientists are using drilling methods that environmental groups say will contaminate the lake. The Russians deny it. Who wouldn’t want to read a story from the POV of a UN official who suddenly has to deal with a bunch of angry scientists?

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3 years ago