After resurfacing a 48,500-year-old zombie virus buried under a frozen lake in Russia, French scientists have warned of the possibility of another outbreak.
However, the report was published in the New York Post, which cited a viral report that has not yet been reviewed. The new study was led by French National Center for Scientific Research microbiologist Jean-Marie Alempic.
 |
What exactly is zombie virus?
The virus emerged as a result of permafrost thawing due to rising global temperatures. According to Science Alert, the new strain is one of 13 viruses described in the study, each with its own genome. The oldest Pandora virus Yedoma, named after the mythological character Pandora, was 48,500 years old, a record for a frozen virus to resume its ability to infect other organisms. It has surpassed the previous record of a 30,000-year-old virus discovered in Siberia by the same team in 2013.
Pandoravirus was discovered beneath the surface of a lake in Yukechi Alas, Yakutia, Russia; Others have been discovered in places ranging from mammoth fur to Siberian wolf intestines.
What could be the source of the problem?
Permafrost, or permanently frozen ground, supports about one-quarter of the Northern Hemisphere, according to the study. As a result of climate change, permanently thawing permafrost is releasing organic matter that has been frozen for up to a million years, much of which decomposes into carbon dioxide and methane, increasing the greenhouse effect.
This organic matter also includes revived single-celled microbes (prokaryotes, unicellular eukaryotes) and viruses that have been dormant since prehistoric times.
Is the virus capable of causing harm?
After studying live cultures, scientists found that all "zombie viruses" have the potential to be infectious and thus pose a "health risk". According to the New York Post, they believe pandemics like COVID-19 will become more common in the future as melting permafrost releases long-dormant viruses like the microbial Captain America. They write, "It is reasonable to consider the possibility that ancient viral particles became infectious and replicated as a result of thawing of ancient permafrost layers."
Unfortunately, the organic matter released from melting ice breaks down into carbon dioxide and methane, increasing the greenhouse effect and accelerating the melting. However, scientists believe that the recent virus discovery is just the tip of the iceberg, with more such viruses lurking beneath that require further study and research.
Post a Comment