Lake Ellsworth is a large, deep freshwater lake in Antarctica. It is one of the most isolated lakes in the world, and has been cut off from the rest of the Antarctic continent for millions of years. The lake is approximately 3 kilometers (2 miles) across and 1 kilometer (0.6 miles) deep, with a water temperature that remains close to 0°C (32°F).
The lake was first discovered in 1996 by a team of British scientists, who used satellite imagery to find it beneath the ice sheet. Lake Ellsworth is part of an extensive network of lakes that are hidden beneath the Antarctic ice sheet. These hidden lakes are known as subglacial lakes.
Subglacial lakes are formed when groundwater flows into an area where the surface layer of ice is already frozen to the bedrock below. This can happen when there are cracks or faults in the bedrock, or when heat from volcanic activity melts the overlying ice. As more water flows into these areas, they can become larger and deeper over time.
Lake Ellsworth is thought to have been formed in this way, although its exact age is unknown. The lake’s isolation means that it could contain unique types of life that have evolved independently from other forms on Earth. For this reason, Lake Ellsworth has been described as a “natural laboratory” for studying evolution and climate change.
Scientists have long been interested in exploring Antarctica’s hidden lakes because they offer clues about how life could survive in extreme environments on other planets, such as Mars. In 2013, a team of British scientists announced plans to drill through more than 3 kilometers (2 miles) of ice to reach Lake Ellsworth and collect samples from its waters. This ambitious project faces many challenges, not least the extreme cold and hostile environment at Lake Ellsworth itself. But if successful, it could provide invaluable insights into one of Earth’s last unexplored frontiers