Let the contamination begin!

This is freaking awesome, we can see what 20 million years of evolution can do in a pristine environment.

I'e been waiting for this for 25 years.

Six months from now, the headline will be "Earth's largest oil reserves found beneath Lake Vostock" and BP will get to work.

It's hard to imagine there being life there. Would there be enough oxygen at that depth?

Assuming that whatever evolved there require oxygen, that is...

There are vents at the bottom of Lake Vostok that heats the water, and that will feed what ever is down there.

Plus, there is plenty of junk that is going to be down there from teh vents, natural gas, oil, etc....

"Lake Vostok is an oligotrophic extreme environment, one that is expected to be supersaturated with nitrogen and oxygen that is 50 times higher than those typically found in ordinary freshwater lakes on Earth."

JJ Abrahms needs to get a film crew down there asap.

From the wiki article...

Oxygen

Lake Vostok is an oligotrophic extreme environment, one that is expected to be supersaturated with nitrogen and oxygen,[28][29] measuring 2.5 liters of nitrogen and oxygen per 1 kilogram (2.2 lb) of water,[30] that is 50 times higher than those typically found in ordinary freshwater lakes on Earth. The sheer weight and pressure (350 atmospheres) of the continental ice cap on top of Lake Vostok is believed to contribute to the high gas concentration.[31]

Besides dissolving in the water, oxygen and other gases are trapped in a type of structure called a clathrate. In clathrate structures, gases are enclosed in an icy cage and look like packed snow. These structures form at the high-pressure depths of Lake Vostok and would become unstable if brought to the surface.[17][30]

Guess that would explain the oxygen issue...

High oxygen creates larger animals, there might be 30 ft long 'lobsters' down there.

there might be 30 ft long 'lobsters' down there.

Maybe we should start a "super lobster" fast food chain now...get a jump start on the Japanese.

Bets on what company wins the contract to bottle it?

Wow. Am1st and Rex.

You'd think it was Firday.

The drilling technique employed thus far by the Russians has involved the use of freon and kerosene to lubricate the borehole and prevent it from collapsing and freezing over; 60 tons of these chemicals have been used thus far on the ice above Lake Vostok.[13] Other countries, particularly the United States and Britain, have failed to persuade the Russians not to pierce to the lake until cleaner technologies such as hot-water drilling are available

OH, that's right. Environmental wacko's cant use the power of the U.S. to force Russia not to do it. So Russia is giving them the middle finger. See what happens to liberal causes when someone doesnt have to listen? I told you guys, someone else gives liberals the environment to exist. Their views are allowed. Otherwise, no one else would put up with them. It's like the lions put up with the views of the gazelle. No one gives a fuck about environmentalists. And without the power of govt, they would not exist or be listened to..

The drilling technique employed thus far by the Russians has involved the use of freon and kerosene to lubricate the borehole and prevent it from collapsing and freezing over; 60 tons of these chemicals have been used thus far on the ice above Lake Vostok

Damn. First thing the aliens see from us is kerosene. I keep thinking of the crap my mom uses to heat small rooms in the house..

I told you guys, someone else gives liberals the environment to exist. Their views are allowed.

So you're comfortable being a fucked in the head fascist then?

Six months from now, the headline will be "Earth's largest oil reserves found beneath Lake Vostock" and BP will get to work.

#3 | Posted by adammm

Not BP. Lukoil.

Man would I love to take a skinny dip in that lake after a long work out.

Man would I love to take a skinny dip in that lake after a long work out.

#20 | POSTED BY LIVE_OR_DIE AT 2012-02-07 08:58 AM | REPLY

And then crap and piss in it.

Damn, I hope they're taking measures to avoid microbial contamination.

So how long before a drunk russian takes a piss down that hole?

I'm just surprised Newtsy didn't promise it statehood.

Just like humans, 1st opportunity to wreak havoc on an untainted environment is jumped at.

for what possible reason, other that we can

it took 20 years to travel 20 million years into the past...VERY cool.

it took 20 years to travel 6000 years into the past...

The Talibaptists

It hasn't been exposed to surface air for 20 million years and could contain new lifeforms

B-b-but the Earth is only 6000 yrs old... maybe there will be a human riding a dinosaur down there?

--Unintelligent designer

there might be 30 ft long 'lobsters' down there

Lobstrocity!

-Steven King

What past?

The Teahadists.

The Discovery Channel will be airing "Vostok GOLD!" by next season. In the season opener, a toothless Russian will be lowered headfirst down the hole with a half-bottle of vodka and a gold pan.

I think I saw something like this on the SyFy channel. It didn't work out well for everyone. Kurt Russel had to blow up the camp.

Interestingly we haven't heard anything from the camp since they punched through to the lake...

Uh, Ohh... Here comes "The Thing"

Donner--they checked in.

I don't know why they want to do this--like TH posted--because we can.

And they used some kind chemicals to drill down then stopped so as to not pollute the lake by letting the water come up the hole to sample.

The sample would still be polluted with the chemicals--would it not?

I like the Vostok Gold scenario--lol

They should be sending a camera down there--long--very long line.

They sure did dig a long way down in the freezing weather! I think they thought it was Lake Vodka! LMFAO!

Whatever is there, will make a snack of their little probe. All they'll see is teeth, then throat.

Uh, Ohh... Here comes "The Thing"

Ah, I was thinking Shoggoths. Lovecraft's work was an inspiration for "The Thing".

Ever read "At the Mountains of Madness"?

The Top 10 Things That Will Be Found in Lake Vostok
10. Alien spacecraft
9. The lost city of Atlantis
8. Amelia Earhart
7. Jimmy Hoffa
6. John Kerry's Purple Heart medals
5. Alec Baldwin's career
4. Thousands of ballot boxes marked: FLA 2000
3. Axe's class and integrity
2. Rachel Maddow's penis
1. Obama's hope and change