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Arctic Ocean Survey May Reveal Lost World
core plexus writes " A new survey of the depths of the ice-capped Arctic Ocean as reported at Reuters, BBC, and others, could reveal a lost world of living fossils and exotic new species from jellyfish to giant squid, scientists said on Thursday. They speculated that Arctic waters might hide creatures known only from fossils, such as trilobites that flourished 300 million years ago. The international scheme will include probing a 12,470-foot abyss off Canada described by project leaders as the "world's oldest sea water -- a vast, still pool unstirred for millennia, walled by steep ridges and lidded with ice." Bring on the "Jurassic Park" references."
"... -- a vast, still pool unstirred for millennia..."
Until we taint it with our presence.
Upon seeing the box was too small, Schrodinger's Elephant breathed a sigh of relief.
It is more likely you'd transfer fish or invertebrate pathogens than human pathogens.
Most microorganisms have a fairly narrow band of temperatures at which they can grow. The S. aureus on your skin will not like growing in artic temperatures and a psychrophile living in the arctic will probably not like living on your skin much, either.
Now, with fish from just outside this region and fish inside this region your concerns could be more valid, since they would be under similar environmental conditions and have different immunities.
On the other hand: All parasites, virii and bacteria in this pool are completely adapted to the lifeforms in this pool for millions of years and thus probably completely unable to cope with lifefroms from the outside. Ergo: No infection, because of far reaching incompatibility.
Actually, you can already drink water that old. Trinity Water is taken from a 2.2 mile deep spring under Idaho. It's been carbon-dated at over 16,000 years old and is basically as pure as it was then due to the granite formation protecting the source below from groundwater contamination. Best water I've had..something about the unique mineral content.