Originally posted by Ikema
First thought, "Holy Antarctica after-birth Batman!" My second was how much more omminious looking can you get? Imagine a deadly virus, let loose due to global warming?

And this is how I imagine the zombie apocalypse beginning...
Excuse me, I have to go sharpen my sword...

Not every image of Mars that looks like lifeforms is correct. However, being that life can thrive in some of the most insane places on Earth, I find it hard to fathom that there aren't any lifeforms (albeit simple) on Mars, more specifically, under Mars, in the soil. Heck life can survive on the solar panels of space stations in the vacuum of space, why couldn't it survive on Mars.

I hear if you drink this stuff, it gives you super powers.

Er, NO, That's not right.

It turns you into a dope smoking free lovin hippy. Best to leave it alone.

Red is a pretty common color in life forms. Not only red blood, red food, red wine, red colored animals, anything with lots of iron tends to be red.

This stuff has probably been bleeding into the sea for thousands of years.

I have to wonder if there is actually liquid under the ice if there isn't some unknown, geothermal heat source that keeps it in a liquid state. It would seem to me that there would have to be something that causes the liquid to flow. Otherwise, wouldn't it just be frozen ice.

Originally posted by poet1b

It would seem to me that there would have to be something that causes the liquid to flow. Otherwise, wouldn't it just be frozen ice.

Not that I'm an expert on it, but the very high salinity would be the reason it doesn't freeze solid.

The second angel blew his trumpet, and something like a great mountain, burning with fire, was thrown into the sea, and a third of the sea became blood.Revelation 8:8

The second angel poured out his bowl into the sea, and it became like the blood of a corpse, and every living thing died that was in the sea. Revelation 16:3

Think this is the End of Times Bible quotations many are thinking about regarding the red, blood-like stuff comnig out of the Antartic???

Thanks for posting the information. Interesting stuff.
Too bad that people want to take something like this and create some ridiculous threat to their existence.
What a drag it must be to live in constant fear and paranoia.
Also glad I'm not the only one to call out the Global Warming B.S. for what it is.
In a couple of years, no one will cop to having believed in that , anyway.

Originally posted by poet1b

It would seem to me that there would have to be something that causes the liquid to flow. Otherwise, wouldn't it just be frozen ice.

From what I understand scientists believe the gravitational effects of Jupiter cause enough tidal energy to keep the water in a liquid or "slush" like state.

Originally posted by Cygnis
The potentials of this are unimaginable. I deffiently think slow and easy is the best approach on this tho for any group.

On a side note.. Isn't there something about the waters of the world turning red and being undrinkable in the end times?

Peace.

That is the first thing I thought of. And this does coincide with several other things in motion right now that are prior to the water event taking place..

Although I cannot deny that it has done well regarding what it has come to learn, science is cognizant of only 4% of reality -- visible part, that is. They haven't gotten to the invisible part yet. What a super-nova of a blast that's gonna' be when they do!

Most bacteria such as these are known as extremophiles and have highly adaptive metabolisms. These particular organisms "feed" on reduced Fe ions, hence the red color, although sulfur and chloride metabolism is also seen.
many are members of the genus Archaea and are some of the oldest organisms on the planet.
As far as pathogenicity it is highly unlikely the (comparitivly) warm environment and low osmotic pressure of normal sea water would sustain them at the surface. However if some of these organisms can survive into the depths all bets are off and who knows if they can adapt but it seems quite likely. they can live off organic or inorganic carbon and many of the common ions found in sea water. In fact I would be not suprised if distant relatives are there already.
From a anthrocentric approach they have a bright future in processing metals and producing compounds which may in the future help chelate metals from our bodies. Other pharma apps are likely in the strange metabolism of these archeobacteria. One other promising avenue is natural gas production by the reduction of inorganic carbon (CO2, soot, etc) .
I do not have a linky but my background in O-chem says this is not outside of possibility.
Finds like the one in antarctica are incredibly interesting time capsules into the past and I expect as our eyes have begun to see much more of the world more discoveries like this will occur.
I have very few personal worries about organisms found in places like this. It is the man made tearing at the earth which in my opinion will awaken the "wrong" bug. Some rainforest microbe that hitches the first ride out of the jungle on a workers lung scares me far more than any extremophile.
N.