During a research expedition that sounds something straight out of a horror film, a team of researchers has found dozens of ancient viruses frozen in a sample of Tibetan ice. These viruses have never been found or observed before. But are they dangerous to human beings?
The Ohio State University researchers behind the project are trying to figure out viruses managed to change in response to changing temperatures, as per a press release. Of the 33 viruses that were discovered in the ice, 28 are never-seen-before viruses, as per the research published in the journal Microbiome.
How did they survive extreme conditions?
The study suggests that probing their genetic codes might help determine how life can survive extremely harsh weather both on Earth and potentially even in places like Mars. Let’s just hope they aren’t dangerous.
Thankfully, the new viruses seemed to have affected ancient plants and soil-dwelling organisms before they froze 15,000 years ago. Human beings or animals were not infected by these viruses, And, the survivors have managed to fare so well because they thrive in extremely cold weather.
“We know very little about viruses and microbes in these extreme environments, and what is actually there,” said Lonnie Thompson, senior study author. “The documentation and understanding of that are extremely important: How do bacteria and viruses respond to climate change? What happens when we go from an ice age to a warm period like we’re in now?”
Dating back to the ancient era
The researchers hope that these newly discovered yet ancient viruses will help them piece together a kind of fossil record for the area. This will be done by peering at the viruses that lived during that time, helping them understand how the environment was like back then.
Speaking of fossils, Scientists found a cache of fossilized shark teeth in an unexpected area. The fossils were extracted from a 2900-year-old site within the City of David in Jerusalem. The team of scientists said that the shark teeth were discovered at least 80 km away from they would be expected to be found.
