"A scientific research ship engaged in scientific research at sea is in danger and still needs something. It can throw scientific research equipment, food and communication equipment to find the best

"A scientific research ship engaged in scientific research at sea is in danger and still needs something. It can throw scientific research equipment, food and communication equipment to find the best solution. Ice worms are called the only frozen creatures on the earth, and they have the characteristics of alien life that scientists want. Scientists believe that the rare cold-resistant physique of ice worms can prove that there may be cold-resistant organisms similar to ice worms on other planets. They walk freely in the ice, live actively in the polar low temperature, and turn into a sticky mass when the temperature rises slightly. The Seattle Times reported on February 2 1 Sunday that American biologists, together with NASA and National Geographic magazine, will invest huge sums of money to study polar ice insects, hoping to take a big step in the journey of exploring alien life.

Polar ice insects are one of the few creatures active in polar low temperature. They are called the largest invertebrates and the most active creatures in frozen soil by biologists. Polar ice insects live in glaciers with snow all year round. They can be found in glaciers near the polar regions of Alaska, British Columbia and Oregon. They are very small, just like a thin black line in the snow.

They are probably the least afraid of cold in the world. In the biting cold temperature in the glacier area, other animals are almost frozen into popsicles, and even the cells are "giggling" with cold. However, this low temperature is the most comfortable living environment for polar ice insects. Scientists have found that the cell membrane and enzyme metabolism of ice worms are normal at low temperature, and the cell membrane maintains its inherent elasticity.

Ice worms are not only frost-resistant, but also hungry. Scientists once put several ice worms in the refrigerator to study. Two years later, ice worms who don't eat or drink still live tenaciously in the freezer.

But ice worms also have a fatal disadvantage-fear of heat. The ability of ice worms to resist high temperature is extremely fragile. As long as the temperature is higher than four degrees Celsius, the cell membrane of ice worms will melt, and the enzymes in the cells will become a pile of sticky substances like hay.

Mystery of breaking ice: Is there a way to break ice?

Among the many mysteries surrounding ice insects, the most incredible thing is that ice insects can walk freely in solid ice. No one knows how they broke through the ice.

Some scientists say that ice insects may drill out of the ice along the cracks in the ice; It is also speculated that ice worms have the ability to break ice. Many biologists suspect that ice insects may contain deicing substances. Every time they walk through the ice, the cells in the body will release energy, melt the surrounding ice and form a channel, just like "cutting butter with a hot knife".

An expert on snow animals said that among many snow fleas, snow nematodes and snow spiders, ice worms are the most magical animals. The polar bear's thick fur insulates it from the outside low temperature, and it can store energy by itself. Antarctic cod has antifreeze in its blood, which makes it live as usual in the ice and snow. However, what do naked tiny ice bugs rely on to keep warm or even wear ice? Biologist Putzel said, "When the temperature drops, ice insects will immediately generate energy. It's like filling the tank with gasoline. "

Hidden mystery: extinction in winter?

The ice worm's lifestyle is also full of mystery. They always live in the glacier area with snow all year round, and their whereabouts are secret. In summer, large ice bugs will break through the ice and look for food. According to researchers looking for ice bugs, tens of thousands of ice bugs may be trampled to death if they are not careful.

Ice bugs come out at sunset and rest at sunrise. In summer, before the sun rises, ice worms will hide back on the ice. When the sun goes down, ice worms come out of their caves, looking for seaweed, pollen and other digestible residues as food. So their scientific name is "solifugus", which means avoiding the sun.

In winter, most ice insect gathering places are closed by heavy snow. Without seaweed or other food, they are hidden underground. But so far, no one knows how ice worms spend the winter underground. Ice worms seem to disappear in winter. Scientists suspect that they hibernate under the snow. Recently, however, researchers found that if you dig deep enough, you may see ice worms in winter. Two biologists in the United States repeatedly dug ice worms in the snow-covered Renik Mountain. All the ice worms they have found so far are hidden in underground holes below 3 meters.

Uncover the mystery: it is possible to find extraterrestrial life

Ice worms are called the only frozen creatures on the earth, and they have the characteristics of alien life that scientists want. Scientists believe that the rare cold-resistant physique of ice worms can prove that there may be cold-resistant organisms similar to ice worms on other planets.

In 2005, NASA invested $200,000 to support the research project of ice insects. NASA believes that ice worms can survive in such a harsh environment, which proves that Jupiter's ice hockey or other planets may have similar alien creatures.

National Geographic magazine also noticed ice worms and funded researchers to find them. National Geographic magazine believes that the value of ice worms in organ transplantation is far more realistic than the alien life it represents. Ice worm cells can maintain normal metabolism at low temperature. However, transplanted organs consume energy and shrink rapidly during refrigeration. If we can reveal the secret of ice worm metabolism, doctors can use chemicals and drugs to preserve organs for a longer period of time.

1887, Curtis, a famous photographer in Seattle, USA, first discovered the ice worm and named it "Snow Eel". But few people pay attention to it. In recent years, global warming has made polar animals on the verge of extinction, and ice worms have gradually entered the researchers' field of vision. Ben Lee, a biology graduate student at a university in Washington, USA, chose ice worms as the topic of his graduation thesis. Li said: "Ice worms are very hot now, and the research on them is almost blank, but they are wonderful."

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"Ice Bug" in Literati's Eyes

The literati's imagination is really rich. As early as the beginning of the 20th century, ice worms appeared in writers' brush strokes, and can also be seen in some books and poems. This bug, which is less than 5 cm long and lives under thick ice and snow, has long been a witness of love and life in the eyes of the poet.

The writer Robert Seves mentioned this magical bug many times in his works. In particular, the famous sentence "Trace of 98" in a novel: "In that light blue land, in the snowy day, I am in the infinity of the earth; Polar bears are singing and dancing in the light and shadow of the polar plain; Ah, you are my heart, my life and my soul; I'll see you when polar ice worms return to their nests. "

And Ben Lee is not only looking for and studying the ice worm itself, but also aiming at reciting the 140 poem "Blue Snow Mountain:

When everything becomes clear, you approach shyly and wait and see. The bugs are crowded together, and their noses are blue. In order to prolong life, they look for all the nutrients. They gnawed at each other's tails until they survived tenaciously.

Being so loved by poets may be because they can still survive in such a harsh environment. However, in the next 50 years, due to global warming, the ice and snow on which they depend will gradually disappear, and ice worms will also become an extinct animal.