'It's happening': Ice worms emerge in Pacific Northwest glaciers

Accuweather ^ | July 30, 2021 | Monica Danielle

[ProtectOurFreedom]

Scientists are beginning to unlock the mysteries of glacier ice worms which are the largest organism on Earth that spend their whole life cycle in ice. "It's happening," scientist Scott Hotaling told a reporter for OPB as he gestured across Paradise Glacier high up on Mount Rainier in Washington.

He was referencing hundreds of thousands of tiny, black worms emerging from a vast expanse of white snow.

Ice worms were first discovered in 1887 on Alaska's Muir Glacier. They have since been spotted on most of the coastal glaciers in Alaska, British Columbia, Washington and Oregon. It was an exciting discovery because, for the longest time, biologists considered high-altitude glaciers sterile places where life was essentially impossible.

“I think they're like the mascot of mountain glaciers in the West," Hotaling told AccuWeather about ice worms. They're incredibly cool, they're incredibly abundant and they're the largest organism on Earth that spends its whole life cycle in ice. "When they're around, there are hundreds per square meter. You cannot walk without stepping on them...so, it's a very dramatic thing when they are present."

The inky, black ice worms are only about an inch long and are distant cousins to earthworms. Instead of dirt, these worms wiggle through glacial ice eating snow algae, bacteria and anything else that ends up on the snow.

They may spend their entire lives in snow and ice, but ice worms can't survive subfreezing temperatures. Hotaling has conducted thermal testing and says the ice worms can survive comfortably for at least a day or two in temperatures as high as 75 degrees Fahrenheit (around 24 degrees Celsius), and although they thrive at temperatures around 32 degrees Fahrenheit (zero degrees Celsius), they die when temperatures drop below that threshold.

[ProtectOurFreedom]

I left off the link. How did I do that? Here it is for those who want the full scoop on the Ice Worms.

[ProtectOurFreedom]

I left off the link. How did I do that? Here it is for those who want the full scoop on the Ice Worms.

[Scrambler Bob]

So the tiny ice worm is the largest organism on earth?
Who writes this
= = =

Some one with a really small appendage.

[ProtectOurFreedom]

You stopped reading too soon!

Scientists are beginning to unlock the mysteries of glacier ice worms which are the largest organism on Earth that spend their whole life cycle in ice.

[Carriage Hill]

“...largest organism on Earth that spend their whole life cycle in ice...”

[ProtectOurFreedom]

I hear they are repelled by COVID survivor pheromones, though. Vaccination, on the other hand, ATTRACTS them!

[ProtectOurFreedom]

I’m holding our for Murder Worms. Or Ice Hornets. Whichever can get here first.

[ProtectOurFreedom]

Thank goodness it’s pointing northwest toward Seattle. I’m 250 miles east north east of Rainier.

[M Kehoe]

Can you eat them? If not, are they good for fish bait?

5.56mm

[fso301]

Never though about collected fishbait on a glacier.

[PIF]

I hear they are repelled by COVID survivor pheromones

—
Nope. COVID survivors’ pheromones ... icing on their cake, so to speak. The vaccinated just take a bit longer to fully digest ...

[Organic Panic]

If grammar serves me right shouldn’t it have been “which” rather than “that”

[Organic Panic]

The grammar burns...

[Carriage Hill]

LOL!

[SuperLuminal]

Take the glaciers to a vet and have them get rid of the worms...

[rarestia]

Is “Shark-izzard” a thing yet? Get Hollywood on that.

[SteveH]

[RetiredTexasVet]

Now my son can believe in those Snow Snakes I used to warn him about when he was young.

[ProtectOurFreedom]

Here's to Grammar...

[Bikkuri]

I see a future Horror Movie..