An immense ice-covered lake may harbor ancient species of microbes, unknown to science, that are able to withstand conditions at the edge of survivability.

Abyzov, S.S., I.N. Mitskevich, and M.N. Poglazova. 1998. Microflora of the deep glacier horizons of Central Antarctica. Microbiology 67:66.

Kapitsa, A.P., J.K. Ridley, G. de Q. Robin, et al. 1996. A large deep freshwater lake beneath the ice of central East Antarctica. Nature 381(June 20):684.

Cowen, R. Icy cracks may betray Europan ocean. Science News 155(Oct. 2):219.

______. 1998. An ocean for Callisto? Science News 154(Nov. 7):196.

Monastersky, R. 1996. Giant lake hides beneath Antarctica’s ice. Science News 149(June 29):407.

The final report of the Lake Vostok Workshop held last year is available at http://www.ldeo.columbia.edu/vostok/.

S.S. Abyzov
Russian Academy of Sciences
Institute of Microbiology
pr. 60-letia Oktyabrya 7, k. 2
Moscow 117811
Russia

Robin Bell
Columbia University
Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory
Route 9W
Palisades, NY 10964

Edward F. DeLong
Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute
Post Office Box 328
7700 Sandholdt Road
Moss Landing, CA 95039

Cynan Ellis-Evans
British Antarctic Survey
Terrestrial and Freshwater Life Sciences Division
High Cross Site
Madingley Road
Cambridge CB3 0ET
United Kingdom

Joan Horvath
California Institute of Technology
Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Mailstop Code 122-116
4800 Oak Grove Drive
Pasadena, CA 91109

David Karl
University of Hawaii
Department of Oceanography
1000 Pope Road
Honolulu, HI 96822

J.K. Ridley
University College London
Mullard Space Science Laboratory
Dorking, Surrey RH5 6NT
United Kingdom

Gordon de Q. Robin
University of Cambridge
Scott Polar Research Institute
Cambridge CB2 1ER
United Kingdom

Martin Siegert
University of Bristol
School of Geographical Sciences
Bristol BS8 1SS
United Kingdom

Todd A. Sowers
Pennsylvania State University
College of Earth and Mineral Sciences
447 Deike Building
University Park, PA 16802

From Science News, Vol. 156, No. 14, October 2, 1999, p. 216. Copyright © 1999, Science Service.