Last Updated: Scientists 'accidentally Discover' Life Far Underneath The Ice Shelves Of The Antarctic The discovery was made by scientists from British Antarctic Survey, who accidentally stumbled upon the stationary animals while collecting sediment samples. Scientists have discovered life underneath the Antarctic ice shelf, where it was previously thought no living things could survive. The discovery was made by scientists from British Antarctic Survey (BAS), who accidentally stumbled upon the stationary animals while collecting sediment samples. The sponges-like animals, including several potentially unknown species, were found under complete darkness and with temperatures of -2.2 degrees Celcius about 260 km away from the open ocean.