There is a lake sealed under Antarctica for 15 million years
Four kilometers beneath Antarctica lies Lake Vostok, sealed from the surface for at least 15 million years.
Reviewed by the CurioVault curator · 8 October 2026 · Last updated 23 September 2026 · Editorial standards
Four kilometers beneath Antarctica lies Lake Vostok, sealed from the surface for at least 15 million years. The lake lies about 4 km beneath the East Antarctic ice sheet and has been isolated from the atmosphere for at least 15 million years. It is 250 km long, 50 km wide, one of Antarctica's largest subglacial lakes. Geothermal heat keeps it liquid despite -67°F air. When Russian drillers broke through in 2012, pressure shot water up the borehole where it froze instantly. Its isolated microbes may mimic life on Europa.
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