"Fingers of death" discovered under Antarctic ice: they can freeze all life

The ocean hides many secrets, and it is unlikely that humanity will ever be able to comprehend them. Recently, researchers have shown amazing icy "fingers of death" that can instantly freeze all living things they can reach.

The "fingers of death" are located in the Antarctic ice and stretch to the ocean floor. The details were reported by IFLScience.

Scientists have named the "fingers of death" briniclasts, a specific form of ice. At first glance, they look more like stalactites, which are usually formed in caves. According to recent research, these giant underwater pillars have similarities with hydrothermal vents.

If we try to describe the process of the formation of the "fingers of death", we can distinguish three phases. First, the salts begin to separate from the ice crystals. In the cracks in the sea ice, so-called "channels" are formed, completely filled with brine with an incredibly high salt concentration. These brines penetrate the sea under the ice. The high salt content makes them heavier than water, so the streams begin to sink. But the worst thing is that the streams have a lower temperature than the surrounding water, so they start absorbing heat from absolutely everything. In this way, pillars resembling the "fingers of death" are formed.

As they form, they can become gigantic and reach the ocean floor. Absorbing heat, they kill all living things they can reach.

Scientists say that this process is somewhat similar to the formation of mud volcanoes and hydrothermal vents. Some researchers hypothesise that in the course of evolution, the brinehills played an important role in the formation of life on Earth.

Earlier, OBOZREVATEL reported that an alien-like creature washed ashore in Britain.

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