Scientists found liquid water — and, surprisingly, life — at the bottom of a frozen Antarctic lake.

Lake Enigma sits between two glaciers, Amorphous and Boulder Clay, in Antarctica’s Northern Foothills. Given the area’s average temperature of 6.8 degrees Fahrenheit (-14 degrees Celsius) and lows of up to -41.26 degrees Fahrenheit (-40.7 degrees Celsius), experts understandably assumed that Lake Enigma was completely frozen.

Antarctica is a place of extremes. Its icy landscapes often hold secrets that challenge what we know about Earth’s history. Recently, scientists made a discovery there that could reshape our understanding of the planet’s past.