In Antarctica, there’s a five story high waterfall that has what looks like blood flowing down it. As if that’s not nutty enough, it contains what scientist suggest is the most alien form of life to be found anywhere on Earth.
The bloody giant falls were created when an ocean water lake was effectively covered by a massive block of glacial ice about three million years ago (when you were *this* high and this was all fields).
This effectively preserved the micro-bacteria that lived in the water, making it iron rich – just like human blood. Now, in the past 100 or so years, fishermen have started making tiny holes in the glacier in a bid to land some parky perch and some chilly cod.
Over time, the water has crept out of the holes and started making its way down the to sea, just like any self respecting lump of H2O would. However, being iron rich, as soon as the water meets fresh air, just like the stuff flowing through your veins, it turns a gruesome blood red.
Well, it’s either that, or the Antarctic has got its Shining-themed fancy dress costume ready for halloween already.
Scientists are intrigued by the alien-like micro-bacteria that still lives in the lake. They believe it can hold the key to seeing how possible life on nearby planets really is. It’s though that some, including dwarf planet Pluto, have frozen lakes not dissimilar to this one on their surface.
If so, research here on Earth could unlock secrets that will help humanity find life on other planets sooner. In short, start wrapping the TV in tin foil now. Blood falls today, tomorrow little green men (and Sheffield Wednesday).
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