China’s polar expedition has achieved a major milestone, successfully drilling through 3,413 meters of ice in Antarctica and reaching the area above the Kirin subglacial lake. The State Council Information Office of the People’s Republic of China pointed out that the feat accomplished by the 42nd Antarctic scientific expedition team on February 5, 2026 exceeded the previous global record for hot water drilling by nearly 900 meters. By utilizing a cutting-edge domestically developed hot water system, researchers have established a pollution-free passage into one of the most isolated environments on Earth. This breakthrough not only highlights China’s advanced technological capabilities in extreme polar conditions, but also opens new doors for studying paleoenvironmental changes, ancient biological evolution, and the fundamental dynamics of Earth’s ice sheets.

China drills 3,413 meters to break global drilling record

The result of 3,413 meters officially surpassed the previous international benchmark of 2,540 meters. As mentioned by the State Council Information Office, this leap in depth allows Chinese researchers to drill in more than 90% of the Antarctic ice sheet and the entire Arctic ice sheet. The mission was successfully carried out on the Princess Elizabeth land in East Antarctica, about 120 kilometers away from China’s Taishan Station.

How modern drilling reaches the ground

While traditional mechanical drilling utilizes rotating metal drill bits, which can cause contamination or mechanical failure in cold, deep environments, hot water drilling uses high-pressure, near-boiling water to melt clean, stable boreholes. This method has now become the international gold standard for accessing subglacial lakes because it minimizes disturbance to the surrounding ice and prevents the introduction of foreign microorganisms, allowing for safer collection of pristine water and sediment samples. The archery team carried out this initiative very well.

A pristine time capsule beneath the Antarctic ice

According to China Daily, the Kirin Underglacial Lake, which China independently named in 2022, is a natural time capsule. The lake was sealed under kilometers of ice for millions of years, leaving it in a state of high pressure, total darkness and extreme isolation. Scientists believe studying the lake’s microbial communities and biogeochemical cycles is crucial to understanding Earth’s long-term climate evolution and providing analogs for potential life on icy moons like Europa or Enceladus.