Science and Engineering at The University of Edinburgh

BBC Radio 4, The Material World, 21 October
Lake Ellsworth

Deep beneath the Antarctic ice sheet lie more than 100 lakes.

Under huge pressures, in complete darkness and at temperatures below freezing some contain life forms that have been isolated from the rest of the world for as much as 25 million years.

To delve into their prehistoric waters risks contaminating them forever.

In this week's Material World Quentin Cooper talks to Martin Seigert who plans to use hot water drill through nearly 4 kilometres of ice to reach the waters of Lake Ellsworth.

He also talks to Cynan Ellis Evans from the British Antarctic Survey to find out what life exists beneath the ice.