Yet They Are Full Of Life
There are abundant signs of life in the subglacial lakes, but none of the macro-organisms that we are familiar with. There are no penguins, fish, whales, or even plants such as seagrass or kelp. All of life is microbial, and it seems to be thriving.
Microbial life is incredibly resilient and can thrive in some of the harshest, most unforgiving climates on the planet. Evidence of microbial life in Antarctica’s subglacial lakes is seen in the chemical composition, which includes the chemical byproducts of life processes that include eating, eliminating waste, and dying.