In a surprising
discovery about where higher life can survive, scientists have found a shrimp —— like creature and a jellyfish swimming beneath an Antarctic ice
sheet.
About 180
meters below the ice where no light can get through, scientists had thought
nothing much more than a few microbes (微生物) could exist.
That’s why a
NASA team was surprised when they lowered a video camera to get the first long
look at the underbelly of an ice sheet in Antarctica. A curious shrimp – like
creature came swimming by and then parked itself on the camera’s cable.
Scientists also pulled up a tentacle (觸須) they believe came from a jellyfish.
“We were
operating on the presumption that nothing’s there.” Said NASA ice scientist
Robert Bindschadler. “It was a shrimp you’d enjoy having on your plate.”
“We were just
gaga (狂熱的) over it,” he said of the 7.5cm long, orange creature starring in their two – minute video. Technically, it’s not a shrimp. It’s a Lyssianasid amphipod, which is distantly related to the shrimp.
The video is
likely to inspire experts to rethink what they know about life in harsh
environments. And it has scientists thinking that if shrimp – like creatures
can live below 180 meters of Antarctic ice in freezing dark water, what about
other cold places? What about Europa, a frozen moon of Jupiter?
Cynan Ellis –
Evans, a scientist of the British Antarctic Survey called the finding fascinating.
He said it was possible the creatures swam in from far away and don’t live
there permanently.
But Kim, who is
a co-author of the study, doubts it. “The site in West Antarctica is at least 19 km from open seas. Bindschadler drilled a 20 cm – wide hole and was looking at a tiny amount of water. That means it’s unlikely that two creatures swam from great distances and were captured randomly in that
small of an area,” she said.
Yet scientist
were puzzled at what the food source would be for these creatures. While some
microbes can make their own food out of chemicals in the ocean, complex life
like the shrimp can’t, Kim said.
“So how do they
survive? That’s the key question.” Kim Sai.
“It’s pretty
amazing when you find a huge puzzle like that on a planet where we thought we
know everything.” Kim said.
1. What does the underlined word “harsh”
probably mean?
A.
cold B.
loud C.
cruel D. ugly
2. According to Kim, the shrimp –
like creature .
A. swam
great distances to Antarctic B.
has always lived in the region
C. gradually
evolved from shrimps D.
has nothing in common with shrimps
3. The finding is significant in
that .
A. it
marks NASA’S first Antarctic biological study
B. it
proves there is marine life in the Antarctic
C. it
could inspire further study of life in harsh environments
D. it
shows that Lyssianasid amphipod is closely related to shrimps
4. Which of the following statements
about the discovery is FALSE?
A. Complex life usually lives on other forms of life.
B. Scientists saw two creatures in the two – minute video.
C. It
is possible for creatures to live 180 meters below the ice though there is no
light.
D. Scientists captured the shrimp – like creature in a camera by
drilling a hole through the ice.