Near the shores of Antarctica, at a depth of 2.4 thousand meters, a few years ago,unknown before the anomalous zone, which scientists themselves called "the lost world".


The island of South Georgia, a significant portion of which is covered with ice and snow is dangerous latitudes, where there are frequent meetings with icebergs

ISLAND IN THE SOUTHERN OCEAN

Antarctica together with the surrounding Islands and still remains the least studied the geographic region of the globe. Yet scientists gradually, one by one, reveal its secrets.

In 1999 on the seabed near the island of South Georgia with the help of the devices were discovered deep-sea hot springs. This island, much of which is covered with ice and snow is dangerous latitudes, where there are frequent meetings with icebergs. From West and South it rises South Antilles basin with a depth of over 7.7 thousand m, and to the East stretches the South Sandwich trench, where the mark of the seabed more than 8 thousand meters Here, at the bottom, near the shores of the Islands are of volcanic crater, from which, actually, is heat.

There was a supposition that there beneath the icy Antarctic waters, can dwell unknown to science fauna. To test this version, which caused some doubts, required a full-scale expedition, equipped with expensive equipment for underwater research. On its preparation took more than ten years.

And in January 2010, when in the southern hemisphere in the midst of it was summer, to the designated place in the southern ocean arrived expedition British scientists aboard the Oceanographic vessel "James cook". (Independent of the Southern ocean in scientific literature as adjacent to Antarctica in the South Atlantic, Indian and Pacific oceans.)

The expedition included researchers from the universities of Oxford and Southampton, and the British Antarctic survey. He headed the scientific program Professor of Zoology at Oxford Alex Rogers.

As at the moment when it should be noted that among the many oceanographers reigned convinced that in-depth water at such latitudes should be devoid of life. But already the first image that was sent on Board the vessel remotely operated underwater vehicle ROV from depths of about 2.4 thousand meters, has surpassed the most courageous expectations.

From volcanic cracks-craters in the seabed proceeded hot clubs of hydrogen sulfide. As it was established later, the temperature in hydrothermal sources reached 362 degrees Celsius. In this Kingdom of eternal darkness did not get even a ray of sunlight. Even more amazing was the world of marine organisms, which opened the eyes of oceanographers.

Rogers admitted: "We were absolutely amazed when I saw the community of animals, because they are very much different from the other inhabitants of the thermal springs at the bottom of the ocean". Professor described the overall picture: "we were facing the unknown, hot and dark "lost world". He added: "we have the feeling that we see being, as if came from another planet."

THE INHABITANTS OF VOLCANIC CRATERS

Hydrothermal vents-clefts, surrounded by a bright carpet of clusters of various mollusks, was, in fact, home to giant colonies unusual species of crab-Yeti. Their claws, and lower abdominal surface was covered with long whitish hairs or bristles. In some areas of the seabed these crabs were going communities to 600 individuals per one square meter!

Between scientists jokingly dubbed this type of "crab Hoff". Powerful, covered with dense hairs shell animal reminded them of SARS American actor David Hasselhoff, known from the TV series "Baywatch", "Escape" and others. But seriously, remained a mystery, what's eating crabs, because on the rocky seabed lacked any vegetation.

Subsequent observations have shown that the crabs were grown on their hairs myriad of bacteria that eat. In turn, the bacteria could get the energy for its growth from splitting, chemical substances, allocated from cracks, primarily of hydrogen sulfide.

And that's what really quite unbelievable: crabs behaved quite "reasonable"! They cared about the growth of bacteria with the same diligence as a summer visitor about cultivating my garden! This was expressed that the crabs were periodically shaking hands. Their wave-like movements improved ventilation in bacterial colonies, providing there a more complete admission of chemicals. Such a pragmatic life strategy in the world of deep sea creatures scientists to observe to do this, not ever.

However, a peaceful existence crab-Yeti threatened many dangers. From the edges of the hot springs lived predatory sea stars seven new species, pale octopus, called "octopus-ghosts", as well as other sea animals. Predators raided the prison crabs, using them for food.

Yet found a "lost world" asked the scientist riddles of another kind. Professor Rogers formulated so: "the Fact that we have not found many common types, almost as amazing as that was found. Many kinds of animals, such as tubular marine worms, deep-sea mussels, crabs other species, shrimps, found our colleagues in hydrothermal vents in the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian oceans, here in the southern ocean, was absent". Begs the conclusion that the southern ocean is a kind of barrier, natural filter, which prevents the penetration of representatives "foreign" marine fauna.

SURPRISES ICY CONTINENT

This was the first large-scale study area of underwater hot springs near the shores of Antarctica.

Returned from the expedition, scientists still more than a year studying the samples collected and processed the obtained results.

In their opinion, the Antarctic "the lost world" gives a very clear idea of the conditions in which could be life on planets and their satellites, in particular, on Jupiter's moon Europe. With this celestial body, scientists are conducting an analogy in this case.

Was confirmed the hypothesis that the southern ocean as a barrier to the penetration into its waters of representatives "foreign" fauna, served along with that sort of gateway to other oceans of the planet, promoting it originated in marine organisms.

This "lost world" is a good example of a closed low-ecological systems, it is, however, sufficient to maintain the population of its inhabitants for immeasurable number of generations.

So, it is possible that similar in scale ecosystems, still hidden from the human eye, can operate in other parts of the world, including in the surface world. In short, science, at least in the face of British biologists and their supporters, not to deny the possibility of existence on Earth closed, dominated by a limited number of species in "lost world", similar to what came to life once the pen Conan Doyle.

The study also "hot peace" Antarctica has only just begun. Oceanographers have no doubt that they are waiting for new, even more surprising discoveries. However, constrained by the ice of Antarctica unpredictable not only to biologists.


Crabs-Yeti grew their hair myriad of bacteria that eat

In 2005, it found the network of underground rivers connecting the huge caves and representing an endless labyrinth. Geologists, in turn, assured that the depths of the ice continent are fraught with huge deposits of mineral resources, primarily oil. According to forecasts, we will hear important news from the sixth continent this year.