China has achieved a major achievement in the field of polar exploration, successfully drilling through 3,413 meters of ice in Antarctica to reach the area above the subglacial Qilin Lake. This feat, conducted by the 42nd Antarctic Expedition Team on February 5, 2026, exceeds the previous world record for hot water drilling by approximately 900 metres, as stated by the State Council Information Office (SCIO) of the People’s Republic of China.
By using a state-of-the-art, locally developed hot water system, researchers have created a pollution-free route to one of the most isolated environments on Earth. This breakthrough not only highlights China’s advanced technical capabilities in extreme polar conditions, but also opens new doors to study ancient ecological transitions, ancient biological evolution, and the fundamental dynamics of Earth’s ice sheets.
China broke the world drilling record by drilling 3,413 metres
The 3,413-metre-long feat officially exceeds the previous international standard of 2,540 metres. This jump in depth enables Chinese researchers to drill through more than 90% of the Antarctic ice sheet and the entire Arctic ice sheet, as reported in SCIO. The mission was successfully carried out at Princess Elizabeth Land in East Antarctica, about 120 kilometers from China’s Taishan Station.
How does modern drilling reach the ground?
Unlike traditional mechanical drilling, which uses rotating bits of metal that can cause contamination or mechanical failure in deep, cold environments, hot water drilling uses high-pressure, near-boiling water to thaw out a clean, stable well. This method is now the international gold standard for accessing subglacial lakes because it minimizes disturbance of the surrounding ice and prevents the entry of foreign microbes, making it safer to collect pristine water and sediment samples.
This initiative is executed very well by the shooting team.
A pristine time capsule under the Antarctic ice
As reported in China Daily, the subglacial Qilin Lake, which China independently named in 2022, will serve as a natural time capsule. After being enclosed under kilometers of ice for millions of years, the lake lives in a state of high pressure, complete darkness and extreme isolation. Scientists believe that studying microbial communities and biogeochemical cycles in the lake is vital to understanding the long-term evolution of Earth’s climate and providing analogues for potential life on icy moons, such as Europa or Enceladus.