Many bacteria that are frozen in Antarctic sea ice have the ability to capture sunlight energy in a way that is different from photosynthesis in plants, and is quite new to science. They do this somehow using rhodopsin proteins that occur in their cell membranes.
A team from Victoria University of Wellington (Te Herenga Waka) are researching the bugs in the sea ice of McMurdo Sound, Antarctica to see how they respond to variations in light wavelengths at different depths in the ice. The experiments are possible because the bacteria are captured in the ice and unable to move around unlike in other environments. The results of this study will help understanding of this ability of the bacteria in many other ecosystems around the planet.

With thanks to Antarctica New Zealand videographer Anthony Powell for use of some of his video clips. See his channel    / @antzkiwi   for some more great footage of life on the ice at Scott Base.

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