Evening star., 1947-03-30

by Science
there might be . "shangri la
some warm, ice-free area where
remnants of the old abundant life
might persist. There have even been
predictions Of valleys Of dinosaurs
or-and more impossible still for
Antarctica has been ice-covered
longer than the most primitive pre-
cursors OF the human race have
been on earth-some place where
ancient man might have survived
imprisoned in towering walls of ice.
This oasis was just such a place.
Only a very low order of life was
found there, but higher orders might
exist.
There are various possibilities for
the existence of this, and possibly
many more, ice-free areas. They
could be due to volcanoes and hot
springs. They could be caused by
concentration of the suns heat in
summer due to focused reflection
from the ice-walls. They could be
due to prevailing winds sweeping
away the snow.
Shape of Things to Come?
This dead continent may be con-
sidered In two ways-as a picture
Of what the whole earth will be
like some day when the sun grows
cold and the candle of life goes
out forever, or as a world in the
process of being reborn. Here,
fighting brave battle against the
all-conquering ice, are a few rem
nants of the ancient higher life.
Such are the penguins. The preva-
lent theory Is that these fantastic
birds are very ancient inhabitants
of the continent, which have sur
vived through gradual evolutionary
adjustment of their physiology and
ways Of life to the changing en-
vironment. The Weddell seals, the
earth's most southerly mammals,
may be another example. They ac-
tually have learned to live all win
ter buried under ice.
The oasis affords quite a differ
ent picture. In the relatively warm
waters of its lakes the only living
things are algae, one-called plants
which are near the foot of the
pyramid of evolution. But they
show several steps in advance from
their most primitive forms-the Or
ganisms which cause the blue-green
scum on stagnant water. Here, it
might be said, life is starting again
from the beginning.
Will Lure Adventures.
Actually this is not the only oasis
known in Antarctica, although it Is
by far the most picturesque and
easily accessible discovered to date.
There is one several miles long, due
to retreating glacier in the Palmer
Peninsula, and another farther east
along the coast of WITHSTAND,
caused by stfong easterly winds
which prevent snow accumulation
and ice formation. But it is a fair
assumption that this land of lakes
will attract hundreds of visitors in
the next few years, with a spirit
Of adventure in the world and &C
cess by air relatively easy. 1t is
one of the greatest natural scien-
tific laboratories now known-or a
test tube in which are being mixed
the primal ingredients of life.
The expedition did not discover,
and did not expect to discover, any
thing Of economic value. This Is
no place for sound investments, at
least during this generation, In
whatever natural resources may be
locked under ice. With better means
Of transportation some Of the out
lying islands, perhaps even one OF
the Gases, might become health re-
sorts for very wealthy people, but
enormous investments would be re-
quired.
Natures Refrigeratisg Plant.
Still looking into the future is
another possibility of practical
value. It has arisen in the mind
of Admiral Byrd. All over the earth
there are good crop years and bad
crop years. Generally it is impossi-
BILE to preserve foodstuffs very long
without going to great expense. The
world as whole, it might be said,
lives from hand to mouth.
Here is a great natural refrigerat-
ing plant. Biscuits, bread, butter,
canned fruits left by Capt. Robert
F..Scott on a McMurdo Sound beach
without any protection more than
10 years ago were found about. as
good as ever We ate beef, cakes
and apples left for six years at the
last Little America. All this re-
frigeration costs nothing except, of
course, the enormous expense of
bringing the food here. Eventually
It may be that Antarctica win be the
whole worlds great grain elevator
and fruit and meat cold storage
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