China has made a major achievement in polar exploration, successfully drilling through 3,413 meters of Antarctic ice to reach the area above Qilin Subglacial Lake. Conducted by the 42nd Antarctic Expedition on February 5, 2026, the achievement surpasses the previous global record for hot water drilling by nearly 900 meters, reported the State Council Information Office (SCIO) of the People’s Republic of China. Using a state-of-the-art, domestically developed hot water system, researchers have established a pollution-free route in 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 the study of paleoclimate changes, ancient biological evolution, and the fundamental dynamics of Earth’s ice sheets.
China breaks global drilling record by drilling 3,413 meters
The achievement of 3,413 meters officially beats the previous international benchmark of 2,540 metres. This leap in depth enables Chinese researchers to conduct drilling operations in more than 90 percent of the Antarctic ice sheet and the entirety of the Arctic ice cover, as reported in SCIO. The mission was successfully carried out in Princess Elizabeth Land in East Antarctica, about 120 kilometers from China’s Taishan Station.
How does modern drilling reach the subsurface?
Unlike traditional mechanical drilling, which uses rotating metal pieces that can cause contamination or mechanical failure in deep, cold environments, hot water drilling uses high-pressure, nearly boiling water to drill a clean, stable borehole. This method is now the international gold standard for accessing subglacial lakes because it minimizes disturbance to the surrounding ice and prevents the entry of foreign microbes, making it safe for collecting samples of ancient water and sediment. This initiative is very well run by Team Archery.
An ancient time capsule beneath the Antarctic ice
As reported in China Daily, Qilin Subglacial Lake, which was independently named by China in 2022, serves as a natural time capsule. Locked under kilometers of ice for millions of years, the lake exists in conditions of high pressure, complete darkness and extreme isolation. Scientists believe that studying the lake’s microbial communities and biogeochemical cycles is important for understanding Earth’s long-term climate evolution and providing analogs for possible life on icy moons such as Europa or Enceladus.