Lake Vostok reached!

[Aaron]

Wow. After following this for years, I'm a tad embarrassed to have missed the announcement by a couple of months, but here we have it:
Russians drill into previously untouched Lake Vostok below Antarctic glacier

The recent news of Cameron's visit to the Mariana Trench reminded me of the Lake Vostok quest, so I had to go searching for the latest. In a nutshell, they hope to be analyzing water samples and sending in robots later this year. Stay tuned! Discovery of life in such a place would surely send speculation about life on Europa into mega-overdrive.

Which would be pretty neat.

[Raiden]

That's cool.

I just hope that whatever organisms live there won't be negatively impacted by this.

[Aaron]

Originally Posted by Raiden

That's cool.

I just hope that whatever organisms live there won't be negatively impacted by this.

Yeah. Of course, they *say* they've taken every precaution necessary to guarantee the sterility of the things they're sending down there, but when you don't know what's down there, it's generally hard to be sure you're not going to do damage.

[Moco Loco]

Well well, if there is life there, I'd venture to guess it would be weirder than anything we've seen before, or at least as different as those volcanic organisms

[Human No More]

Yeah, I remember reading about this... I hope there's something interesting there

Also, for Dwarf Fortress fans:
Russian Scientist cancels dig: Interrupted by thawing Cenozoic Era Monsters.

[Aaron]

Originally Posted by Human No More

Russian Scientist cancels dig: Interrupted by thawing Cenozoic Era Monsters.

Heheh... I figured they would find the frozen bodies of Kurt Russell and Keith David!

[Niri Te]

Hopefully, some Russian company doesn't start bottling "The most pristine water you can drink" for sale at your local convenience store. (That's a JOKE, people).

[iron_jones]

Originally Posted by Niri Te

Hopefully, some Russian company doesn't start bottling "The most pristine water you can drink" for sale at your local convenience store. (That's a JOKE, people).

I've already made the plans for that.

The Russians pay me well.

[Niri Te]

In Dollars, Rubles, or Stolishnaya?? <g> <--(that's a joke too)

[iron_jones]

Originally Posted by Niri Te

(that's a joke too)

oh.

THANKS WE WOULD'VE NEVER KNOWN IT WAS A JOKE CAUSE WE'RE ALL RETARDED

[Niri Te]

I just didn't want anyone to accuse me of being malicious.

[Sempu]

Originally Posted by Aaron

Yeah. Of course, they *say* they've taken every precaution necessary to guarantee the sterility of the things they're sending down there, but when you don't know what's down there, it's generally hard to be sure you're not going to do damage.

The protocols for doing this properly have been developed since the 1970s, because NASA wants to ensure that it doesn't contaminate Mars with organisms from its probes while looking for life there. Not easy, but doable, if they consult with the right people. I've worked at the place that has that team; they take the job very seriously.

[Fkeu'itan]

Originally Posted by Niri Te

In Dollars, Rubles, or Stolishnaya?? <g> <--(that's a joke too)

Stolitchnaya is the best and only payment for such a job.

[Niri Te]

Like Spaten Bier, and Ansbach Uralt, I love "Stolie" (REAL Vodka, made from potato peels, NOT grain).
Every once in a while I DO enjoy a drink with a meal, but I have never EVER been drunk in my life.
Niri Te