March 29, 2024

AndronETalksNews

AndronETalksNews

Scientists have revived a ‘zombie’ virus that spent 48,500 years frozen in permafrost

Spooky man wearing gas mask

CNN- Science

Updated 9:11 PM EST, Wed March 8, 2023
 

Warmer temperatures in the Arctic are thawing the region’s permafrost — a frozen layer of soil beneath the ground — and potentially stirring viruses that, after lying dormant for tens of thousands of years, could endanger animal and human health.

While a pandemic unleashed by a disease from the distant past sounds like the plot of a sci-fi movie, scientists warn that the risks, though low, are underappreciated. Chemical and radioactive waste that dates back to the Cold War, which has the potential to harm wildlife and disrupt ecosystems, may also be released during thaws.

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