Ramle (Israel): From a quarry in Israel comes a discovery that's stunning and elating scientists. A whole new underground ecosystem has been found.
Workers drilling at a quarry near Ramle in Central Israel came upon an opening. It led to a cave with an underwater lake one hundred metres below the surface.
Sealed off from the outside world, scientists were amazed to discover an ecosystem dating back five million years.
"Till now, eight species of animals were found in the cave. Most of them, if not all of them are unknown to science," says Hanan Dimentman from Hanan University.
Scientists had to use ropes to make their way through an underground passage leading into the cave and from there to the lake.
Geologists then discovered white crustaceans resembling shrimps and invertebrates looking like scorpions.
The Israeli scientists are sure that it's only a matter of time before live scorpions are discovered along with the animals, which prey on them.
"We are sure that the eight species that were found are only the beginning of the story of this ecosystem," says Dimentman.
The animals have now been sent to laboratories for further examination. Scientists are hoping this can help provide some insight into events, which occurred millions of years ago.
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