Does Underwater Sightings in Antarctica Indicate Life on Other Worlds?

Researchers in Antarctica have sighted several complex water life forms several miles under ice.

According to San Francisco Chronicle, scientists found fish, shrimp-like creatures and microbial life in areas that had not received sunlight for millions of years. Despite the harsh environment, further testing of fresh waters from Lake Vostok showed the presence of 10,000 species that are unknown.

"It really shows how tenacious life is. The possibilities are just beyond our prediction," said Reed Scherer at Northern Illinois University.

To study life under ice, researchers used submarine like devices with cameras underwater to capture a dark environment several miles under ice cover. They spotted narrow, translucent fish and oranges-shelled creatures called amphipod. Though the team could not catch a fish they caught an amphipod from 30 feet of water under the ice.

Of the species that were discovered at Lake Vostok, most of them were bacteria but researchers also traced the presence of fungi and microscopic animals.

The sightings of life in Antarctica's extreme environments is an indication that life could survive under water on other worlds including Jupiter's moon Ganymede, which were found to have liquid water under icy surface.