James Franklin Crow (1916–2012)
نویسنده
چکیده
years, like Lake Vostok, underneath the eponymous Russian research station at 77 degrees South. One of the largest lakes on our planet, Lake Vostok is comparable in volume to Lake Ontario. Back in 1998, a research team drilled around three kilometres deep into the ice shield stopping only a few hundred metres above the lake surface. The lower parts of the ice core, believed to consist of frozen lake water, already contained hints of microbial life. As this discovery suggested that there may well be a thriving biotope inside the isolated lake, there were concerns over the possible contamination and damage to the biotope if one just drilled into it. Scientists therefore developed cleaner methods for the drilling of the last metres above the lake, and a two-step approach that would allow the borehole to reseal immediately without risk of contamination. After several failed attempts, the team reached the surface of the lake on February 5th this year, shortly before the date when they had to return on the last flight of the Antarctic summer season. In this first step of the proceedings, they allowed some water from the lake to rise up some tens of metres into the borehole and refreeze. The plan is to come back at the end of this year and retrieve this freshly frozen lakewater for laboratory analyses. Researchers from the UK and the US also have plans to sample smaller subglacial lakes close to their research stations. The British Antarctic Survey plans to investigate Lake Ellsworth, while US researchers are targeting Lake Whillans close to the Ross Ice Shelf. Depending on what emerges from these hidden lakes, there may be strong arguments to send some kind of robotic drilling mission to Europa. The study of life on Earth and the search for it in the rest of the Universe have become more closely linked than ever. Which, in essence, is the central idea of astrobiology.
منابع مشابه
Anecdotal , Historical and Critical Commentaries on Genetics Edited by James F . Crow and William F . Dove Gisela Mosig
*Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Biology, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892-0830, Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37235, Evergreen State College, Olympia, Washington 98505 and Laboratory of Molecular Genetics, National Institute of Environmental ...
متن کاملIn memory of James F. Crow (1916–2012), a life dedicated to population genetics; with an updated list of his publications
Professor James (“Jim”) F. Crow (Figure 1) died on January 4, 2012, of natural causes in Madison, Wisconsin, two weeks before his 96 birthday. Born in Phoenixville (Pennsylvania) on January 18, 1916, Professor Crow earned a B.A. in Chemistry and Biology from Friends University in 1937 and a Ph.D. in Zoology at the University of Texas in Austin under the supervision of Professor J. T. Patterson....
متن کاملJames F. Crow and the art of teaching and mentoring.
To honor James F. Crow on the occasion of his 95th birthday, GENETICS has commissioned a series of Perspectives and Reviews. For GENETICS to publish the honorifics is fitting, as from their birth Crow and GENETICS have been paired. Crow was scheduled to be born in January 1916, the same month that the first issue of GENETICS was scheduled to appear, and in the many years that Crow has made majo...
متن کاملJames F. Crow (1916–2012) A Remarkable Geneticist, a Remarkable Man
JAMES F. Crow, professor emeritus of genetics, died peacefully in his sleep of congestive heart failure in Madison, Wisconsin, on January 4, 2012, 2 weeks before his 96th birthday. A leading figure in 20th century genetics whose career spanned 72 years, Crow was renowned as teacher, mentor, colleague, research scientist, textbook author, academic administrator, scientific leader, genetics histo...
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ورودعنوان ژورنال:
- Current Biology
دوره 22 شماره
صفحات -
تاریخ انتشار 2012