It was named by the Robert Falcon Scott expedition of 1910–1913, for Thomas George Bonney, professor of geology at University College London, England from 1877 to 1901.

Starting in 2007 NASA is funding an autonomous submersible robot called ENDURANCE to explore the water volume of the lake to study its shape and ecology.

The Endurance Project is led by Peter Doran with Bill Stone and John Priscu among the co-investigators.

Scientists have discovered an ancient ecosystem beneath the Taylor Glacier, next to Lake Bonney.

[1] The work is seen as a stage in developing an autonomous submersible robot that could explore the ocean on Jupiter's moon Europa.