Li'l ecological microcosm discovered in Israeli cave

[John Many Jars]

http://today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=topNews&storyID=2006-05-31T104949Z_01_L31581222_RTRUKOC_0_US-SCIENCE-ISRAEL-CAVE.xml&archived=False&src=053106_0748_ARTICLE_PROMO_also_on_reuters

[Anders Hallin]

So everything in the cave will die in about 2 weeks by stuff that came in with the scientists?

[Chris Nahr]

The cave was completely sealed off from the world, including from water and nutrients seeping through rock crevices above. Scientists who discovered the cave believe it has been intact for millions of years.

I guess that's supposed to read "except for" water and nutrients seeping in, or else those critters would hardly have survived.

[Hawkeye Fierce]

So everything in the cave will die in about 2 weeks by stuff that came in with the scientists?

That, or they've released the super ur-virus that will kill us all.

[Charles]

That, or they've released the super ur-virus that will kill us all.

I can't wait!

[Dean]

I, for one, welcome our new eyeless scorpion overlords.

[Bill Dungsroman]

Not to kill anyone's buzz, but these sorts of discoveries aren't all that unique. Still interesting, though.

[Old Man Gravy]

So is Honkie the Crawdad (pictured) a direct link to prehistoric crawdads, or is he too adapted by the pitch black to give us any idea of what our crawdad ancestors were like?