Russian scientists imitated all kinds of horror fiction this week, announcing the discovery of - really - new forms of life under Antarctic ice.
The samples obtained from the underground lake in May 2012 contained a bacteria which bore no resemblance to existing types, said Sergei Bulat of the genetics laboratory at the Saint Petersburg Institute of Nuclear Physics. "After putting aside all possible elements of contamination, DNA was found that did not coincide with any of the well-known types in the global database," he said.
Just to drive the point home:
He said it was not even possible to find the genetic descendants of the bacteria. "If this had been found on Mars everyone would have undoubtedly said there is life on Mars. But this is bacteria from Earth."
No word on shuggoths. Yet.
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