Scientists revived ancient ‘zombie’ bugs and viruses, including one possibly 8 million years old.
Scientists revived ancient 'zombie' bugs and viruses, including one possibly 8 million years old.
Resurrecting the Icy Undead: The Potential Risks of Ancient Viruses and Bacteria
In the realm of science fiction, zombies are creatures that rise from the dead. However, recent scientific discoveries have revealed a new type of zombie-like existence among microscopic organisms trapped in ice. Scientists have successfully revived ancient bacteria and prehistoric viruses, leading to concerns about the potential risks they could pose to humanity.
One striking example of this phenomenon occurred when a microscopic roundworm was revived from 46,000-year-old Siberian permafrost. With its exceptional preservation, this ancient roundworm actually started reproducing. But this is not an isolated incident. Scientists have a long record of resurrecting prehistoric viruses and ancient bacteria from ice.
March of this year saw the discovery of 48,000-year-old frozen viruses in Siberian permafrost by French professor Jean-Michel Claverie. These viruses were found to infect single-cell organisms called amoebas. While their potential to infect animals and humans remains unclear, researchers have raised concerns about the possibility of these permafrost viruses becoming a public health threat.
Even more intriguing is the finding of 28 prehistoric viruses, 15 of which were previously unknown to science, in ice cores dating back 15,000 years. Lonnie Thompson, a scientist at the Byrd Polar and Climate Research Center, said that these findings provide opportunities to understand how viruses and microbes respond to climate change and the transitions from ice ages to warmer periods like the present.
Nematodes, a type of parasite that usually resides inside a host, have also exhibited the ability to survive frozen in permafrost. One remarkable example is a roundworm discovered after an estimated 46,000 years in ice. This nematode started reproducing through parthenogenesis, a form of asexual reproduction that eliminates the need for a partner. Similarly, another type of nematode called a rotifer was found after an estimated 24,000 years in permafrost. It was not only able to reproduce but also displayed a healthy appetite.
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Beyond viruses and nematodes, ancient bacteria have also been brought back to life from ice. In the 2000s, scientists extracted a bacterium called Arthrobacter roseus from 8-million-year-old ice in Antarctica. Surprisingly, the bacterium was able to thrive and multiply in the lab, challenging previous assumptions about the limits of bacterium survival.
As the ice sheets around the world melt due to the climate crisis, the resurrection of these ancient creatures has become increasingly concerning. The climatic changes are revealing more of these frozen time capsules, and with them, potentially dangerous bugs. However, it is important to approach these findings cautiously. Extracting ancient ice samples is a delicate process, and accurately dating the ice can be challenging. Therefore, it is difficult to ascertain whether the bugs discovered are truly ancient or modern contaminants inadvertently introduced by the scientists themselves.
The implications of these discoveries extend beyond the thrilling world of microbiology. Our immune defenses have evolved in close contact with the existing microbiological environment. If there are viruses hidden in permafrost that have not been encountered for thousands of years, our immune systems may not be prepared to combat them effectively. Additionally, melting ice may release not only ancient bugs but also previously eradicated or controlled pathogens. A tragic example of this occurred in 2016 when an outbreak of anthrax in Russia, after a 70-year absence, was linked to a strain released during a heat wave that emerged from thawing permafrost.
In conclusion, the revival of ancient viruses, bacteria, and nematodes trapped in ice is a fascinating and thought-provoking area of scientific inquiry. While it is still uncertain how these organisms may potentially affect the human body and the environment, researchers warn about the risks they may pose as the climate crisis continues to melt ancient ice. The need for further research and understanding of these ancient frozen bugs is paramount, as it may shed light on the hidden dangers and challenges humanity could face in a warming world.
