Tuesday, March 31, 2020

Antarctica: Creature 'never seen before’ spotted during dive below ice exposed

ANTARCTICA divers made an exceptional discovery after heading below the surface of the frozen desert during a documentary.


By CALLUM HOARE Thu, Mar 19, 2020

More than 1,000 scientists are positioned on the icy continent, where temperatures drop below -90C, to study climate change and the history of Earth. The barren landscape gives them access to an unspoilt world, where they can complete their research without intrusion from any third parties. But, sometimes they also head below the ice, to take a peak into an ecosystem untouched in millennia, and Advexon’s “Under the Ice” documentary revealed some of the incredible things that happen when they do.

The series said in 2004: “These cliffs are the next dive site, but it is too far from McMurdo station for the team to use a drilling rig.

“But Christian, Rob and Dale use just about every portable tool known to man to get through the ice.

The team then cut a hole in the ice using a number of instruments, before diving below the surface.

But when they got there, they spotted something incredible.
 
The team made a bizarre find below the ice (Image: GETTY/YOUTUBE)


The team cut into the ice (Image: YOUTUBE)

This is a type of sea star that they have never seen before

Under the Ice

The series added: “This is a type of sea star that they have never seen before.

“It’s using its long arms to pick plankton out of the water as the current moves past.

“This crinoid, a relative of the sea star, is fly casting for plankton on.

“On the surface, Rob keeps the hole clear and has no idea that below him, Dale is having one of the most memorable dives of his life.”

The documentary then revealed an incredible phenomenon the team witnessed below the surface.

READ MORE: Antarctica shock: Bizarre 'creature' discovered 740 metres below ice revealed
Some bizarre creatures were uncovered (Image: YOUTUBE)
Antarctica: Bizarre 'creature' found 740m below ice

It added: “He is witnessing the effects created when snow from these cliffs melts and sinks beneath the cracks in the rocks.

“Under the surface, the freshwater seeping back out from the rocks are frozen by the colder seawater, it looks like a frozen waterfall.

“The sunshine has been feeding energy to algae, which is turning green and golden.

“Soon the algae will bloom in the water and end the season by ruining the visibility, but for now, it’s just plain beautiful.”
 
The ecosystem has been untouched in thousands of years (Image: YOUTUBE)
The divers were stunned by the finds (Image: YOUTUBE)

TRENDING
Moon landing shock: Neil Armstrong’s bizarre ‘cryptic’ message exposed

However, the team did have a warning over Antarctica.

They noted: “On a slope below Mount Erebus, a glacier flows to the sea from the thick ice in the interior.

“In some ages of the Earth’s history, Antarctica’s ice has flowed completely away.

“Today, scientists are studying this ice, trying to learn whether it is growing or shrinking and why.

“This simple and precarious balance between what is frozen and what is not affecting everyone on Earth.”

No comments: