Overview

An international team of scientists led by the UK has been given the go-ahead to explore one of the planet's last great frontiers - an ancient lake hidden deep beneath Antarctica's ice sheet.

During the next five years the researchers will acquire and develop the technologies needed for this ambitious project. During the 2012-2013 Antarctic winter season the research team will go 'deep field' into West Antarctica to sample water from the lake in the search for tiny life forms never before seen; and to extract sediment from the lake bed to find clues as to how the climate has changed over many millennia.

Consortium leader Professor Martin Siegert from the University of Edinburgh said, "This is a benchmark in polar exploration - our team will be the first to explore this ancient lake. It is a dark, cold place that has been sealed from the outside world and it's likely to contain unique forms of life. We hope to discover more about how life can exist in extreme environments and how Antarctica has changed in the past - which might help us understand more about other places on earth."

• Read the Full NERC Press Release
• "The Exploration of Subglacial Lake Ellsworth" - Project Homepage
• Scientist who came in from the cold (Edinburgh Evening News, 03-March-2009)
• Expedition to probe cavern lake 3km beneath Antarctic ice (The Register, 03-March-2009)
• The lost world beneath the Antarctic ice (The Independent, 07-March-2009)