A group of scientists at the Salsa International Project managed to reach Lake Mercer, one kilometer deep beneath the Antarctic ice, which is riddled with puzzles.
The study of the 140-square-meter lake, one of 400 lakes found in the Antarctic, gives a rare opportunity to identify the world's most isolated ecosystems, the Gizmodo website quoted experts as saying.
The scientists were able to reach the lake with the help of a high-pressure drilling rig, using hot water. Experts are currently preparing the equipment for a detailed study of the lake's water elements, as well as a videotape of the lake itself.
The site indicated that a detailed search of the samples extracted from the lake would probably take a long time, although the initial analysis of most samples would be near the lake. He said experts do not rule out the possibility of finding forms of life "that have not seen the sun for centuries."
Earlier in the Antarctic ice, the International Study Group found a large source of heat radiation that could melt ice sheets.