# Russia: Lake Vostok **URL:** \ **Category:** Shift518 Off Topic\ **Created:** [February 7, 2012, 9:10pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/russia-lake-vostok/262600 "2012-02-07T21:10:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![KillerBlackbird](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/killerblackbird/32/6525_2.png) [@KillerBlackbird](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/KillerBlackbird)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2012, 9:10pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/russia-lake-vostok/262600/1 "2012-02-07T21:10:59Z")
I thought this was kinda cool, first time I heard about it. A crew has been drilling for 20 years and on the 5th of February they finally got within 300 feet of water. The lake is under 13,000 feet of ice and its been under ice for about 15 million years. Its supposed to be one of the largest freshwater lakes in the world. > **[Lake Vostok](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Vostok)** > > Lake Vostok (Russian: Озеро Восток, Ozero Vostok, lit. "Lake East") is the largest of Antarctica's almost 400 known subglacial lakes. > Lake Vostok is located at the southern Pole of Cold, beneath Russia's Vostok Station under the surface of the central East Antarctic Ice Sheet, which is at 3,488 m (11,444 ft) above mean sea level. The surface of this fresh water lake is approximately 4,000 m (13,100 ft) under the surface of the ice, which places it at approximately 500 m (1,600 ft) below sea le... ![http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7a/Lake_Vostok_drill_2011.jpg/800px-Lake_Vostok_drill_2011.jpg](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7a/Lake_Vostok_drill_2011.jpg/800px-Lake_Vostok_drill_2011.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Boxersix](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/boxersix/32/6327_2.png) [@Boxersix](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Boxersix)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2012, 9:50pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/russia-lake-vostok/262600/2 "2012-02-07T21:50:22Z")
Leave it to the russians to take 20 years to drill through 2.5 miles of ice, only to potentially surface a prehistoric micro organism that turns our brains to jelly. :ninja ---
**Author:** ![KillerBlackbird](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/killerblackbird/32/6525_2.png) [@KillerBlackbird](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/KillerBlackbird)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2012, 10:42pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/russia-lake-vostok/262600/3 "2012-02-07T22:42:11Z")
:rofl They’re currently using kerosene and anti-freeze to prevent the shaft from freezing. So right now there is 60 tons of that above 300 feet of ice waiting to contaminate a lake that hasn’t seen the light of day in 15 million years. Russia refuses to listen to anyone. ---
**Author:** ![Vovchandr](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/vovchandr/32/6275_2.png) [@Vovchandr](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Vovchandr)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2012, 4:10am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/russia-lake-vostok/262600/4 "2012-02-08T04:10:17Z")
Some tid bits from the Wiki article. > Ancient microorganisms are expected to be found in the lake’s liquid layer.[8][9] > It was at Vostok Station that the coldest temperature ever observed on Earth, −89 °C (−128 °F), was recorded on 21 July 1983. Do not want to be the guy taking that data :wow ---
**Author:** ![Johawk](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/johawk/32/6284_2.png) [@Johawk](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Johawk)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2012, 6:00am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/russia-lake-vostok/262600/5 "2012-02-08T06:00:33Z")
Hopefully the water is under extreme pressure and blows the Russians to pieces when they finally breach the ice. The pressure alone is probably why it is still water under there. ---
**Author:** ![KillerBlackbird](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/killerblackbird/32/6525_2.png) [@KillerBlackbird](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/KillerBlackbird)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2012, 8:14am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/russia-lake-vostok/262600/6 "2012-02-08T08:14:23Z")
Or an Arctic Loch Ness Monster is under there. :ohnoes ---
**Author:** ![Ilya](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/ilya/32/6404_2.png) [@Ilya](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Ilya)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2012, 8:24am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/russia-lake-vostok/262600/7 "2012-02-08T08:24:58Z")
:rofl at Boxers’ comment. But seriously…this is all for science? Who gives a crap. What a waste of money. And not to mention what you said about the kerosense, etc. probably contamination the lake. ---
**Author:** ![sbardy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8edcca/32.png) [@sbardy](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/sbardy)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2012, 10:58am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/russia-lake-vostok/262600/8 "2012-02-08T10:58:03Z")
There’s a few Russians on this site, not the brightest people to say the least. Now we know where they get it from. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![KrazyKid](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/krazykid/32/6371_2.png) [@KrazyKid](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/KrazyKid)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2012, 12:54pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/russia-lake-vostok/262600/9 "2012-02-08T12:54:56Z")
someone better have fucking did their research, I will be PISSED if a apocalyptic micro organism escapes and shits on us all. PISSED ---
**Author:** ![jdaniels](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/jdaniels/32/6399_2.png) [@jdaniels](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/jdaniels)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2012, 1:04pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/russia-lake-vostok/262600/10 "2012-02-08T13:04:15Z")
Come at me, organism. ---
**Author:** ![DrunkieTheBear](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/drunkiethebear/32/6539_2.png) [@DrunkieTheBear](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/DrunkieTheBear)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2012, 1:29pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/russia-lake-vostok/262600/11 "2012-02-08T13:29:05Z")
> [@How many times do you use the same razor?](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/how-many-times-do-you-use-the-same-razor/48174/27): > > someone better have fucking did their research, I will be PISSED if a apocalyptic micro organism escapes and shits on us all. > > PISSED We do need some population control :ahh ---
**Author:** ![KillerBlackbird](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/killerblackbird/32/6525_2.png) [@KillerBlackbird](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/KillerBlackbird)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2012, 4:45pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/russia-lake-vostok/262600/12 "2012-02-08T16:45:30Z")
> [@FS. PC Games](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/fs-pc-games/47924/2): > > :rofl at Boxers’ comment. > > But seriously…this is all for science? Who gives a crap. What a waste of money. And not to mention what you said about the kerosense, etc. probably contamination the lake. LETS STOP WASTING MONEY. [youtu.be/vRv-yNAriag](https://youtu.be/vRv-yNAriag) ---
**Author:** ![PJB](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/pjb/32/6389_2.png) [@PJB](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/PJB)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2012, 6:41pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/russia-lake-vostok/262600/13 "2012-02-08T18:41:18Z")
I guess its no worse than putting shuttles and crap in space as far as wasting shitloads of time, effort and money goes ---
**Author:** ![Boxersix](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/boxersix/32/6327_2.png) [@Boxersix](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Boxersix)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2012, 9:01pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/russia-lake-vostok/262600/14 "2012-02-08T21:01:04Z")
That’s the spirt jellies, run to the bank with that. ---
**Author:** ![Cossey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Cossey](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Cossey)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2012, 9:30pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/russia-lake-vostok/262600/15 "2012-02-08T21:30:21Z")
> The average water temperature is calculated to be around −3 °C (27 °F); **it remains liquid below the normal freezing point because of high pressure from the weight of the ice above it.** Geothermal heat from the Earth’s interior may warm the bottom of the lake. The ice sheet itself insulates the lake from cold temperatures on the surface. Note the bold part. If pressure is the reason this water as not frozen yet, I think those Russians will be in for it once the pressure is relieved once they poke through. ---
**Author:** ![Boxersix](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/boxersix/32/6327_2.png) [@Boxersix](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Boxersix)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2012, 9:39pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/russia-lake-vostok/262600/16 "2012-02-08T21:39:29Z")
No different that tapping a subterranean oil reserve. They put a control head on the well. I hope they find something totally epic down there, like straight out of The Thing type shit ---
**Author:** ![sbardy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8edcca/32.png) [@sbardy](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/sbardy)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2012, 6:36am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/russia-lake-vostok/262600/17 "2012-02-09T06:36:10Z")
All fun and games till you wake a Decepticon. ---
**Author:** ![Quattro](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/quattro/32/6660_2.png) [@Quattro](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Quattro)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2012, 8:59am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/russia-lake-vostok/262600/18 "2012-02-09T08:59:19Z")
If they find something living it will be cool since the level of oxygen is considered toxic and there has been no way to replenish energy sources for millions of years. It would make plausible the existence of life on icy planets and moons we previously thought incapable of supporting life. If they don’t find anything then it would be significant as the only large body of water on our planet with no life in it. Either way I think it is cool. They broke into the water already and as they expected the pressure of the water pushed into the hole and forced much of the antifreeze up with it. As for being a waste of money, I guess some people just find science interesting. ---
**Author:** ![Boxersix](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/boxersix/32/6327_2.png) [@Boxersix](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Boxersix)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2012, 3:57pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/russia-lake-vostok/262600/19 "2012-02-09T15:57:43Z")
> [@Paging Nelstoys .....](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/paging-nelstoys/48138/10): > > If they find something living it will be cool since the level of oxygen is considered toxic and there has been no way to replenish energy sources for millions of years. It would make plausible the existence of life on icy planets and moons we previously thought incapable of supporting life. If they don’t find anything then it would be significant as the only large body of water on our planet with no life in it. Either way I think it is cool. > > They broke into the water already and as they expected the pressure of the water pushed into the hole and forced much of the antifreeze up with it. As for being a waste of money, I guess some people just find science interesting. Doesn’t need to have use/breath oxygen for it to be considered “living” Hell there are creatures that live deep in certain caves that consume nitrogen/sulfur dioxide and excrete sulfuric acid. No that’s not a joke. I would assume that they expected the artisian effect when they broke through, and why they were not worried about lake contamination by the kero as the petroleum would just float on the water column anyway and be expelled. ---
**Author:** ![Quattro](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/quattro/32/6660_2.png) [@Quattro](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Quattro)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2012, 4:19pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/russia-lake-vostok/262600/20 "2012-02-09T16:19:57Z")
Yeah, I’ve read about and seen a couple documentaries about different extremophiles, amazing what some life is capable of. Apparently though their research has lead them to believe that the lake is saturated with oxygen, containing something like 50x that of a normal lake. Apparently the environment is considered similar to a moon of Jupiter and one of Saturn’s satellites. [Next page](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/russia-lake-vostok/262600.md?page=2)