Argentine lake may offer clues to life on Mars

Argentine lake may offer clues to life on Mars

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GALAN VOLCANO, ARGENTINA (Reuters) – A lake in Argentina's remote, inhospitable northwest may offer clues on how life got started on Earth and how it could survive on other planets, scientists say.

Researchers have found millions of "super" bacteria thriving inside the oxygen-starved Lake Diamante, in the center of a giant volcanic crater located over 15,400 feet above sea level.

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"The lake sports levels of arsenic 20,000 times higher than the level regarded as safe for drinking water and its temperature is often below freezing. But because the water is so salty -- five times saltier than sea water -- ice never forms."

wow these types of conditions could show us a lot about how bacteria like this could live in enviroments where there is lil to no atmosphere. what do you think of this bacteria? and the fact that its enviroment is so extreme.

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It's super bacteria like this that gives us a glimpse of just how small minded science can sometimes be about the definition of a hospitable environment. Far too often they determine if a planet is capable of sustaining life on the basis of whether or not humans, kittens or influenza could live there.

There is no reason to believe that there couldn't be creatures out there breathing pure argon, which they process in to a nutrient compound via a diet rich in boron before farting out neon gas.