Viruses Found In 15,000-Year-Old Tibetan Glacier Ice Are Like Nothing Seen Before

[Judi Lynn]

Stephen Luntz
By Stephen Luntz
22 JUL 2021, 11:26

Ice is melting as the world heats up, and sometimes it gives up things we would really rather it didn't. A study of ice from a Tibetan glacier that is nearly 15,000 years old indicates that it could include a lot of viruses we've never seen before. The viruses found so far probably can't infect humans, let alone threaten our health, but we don't yet know what else is lurking there.

"These glaciers were formed gradually, and along with dust and gases, many, many viruses were also deposited in that ice," said Dr Zhi-Ping Zhong of Ohio State University in a statement. "The glaciers in western China are not well-studied, and our goal is to use this information to reflect past environments. And viruses are a part of those environments."

Zhong and co-authors have helped address this with a paper in the journal Microbiome, analyzing ice cores collected near the Guliya summit 6,700 meters (22,000 feet) above sea level. The authors report finding the genetic codes of 33 viruses – only four of which were previously known. These four are phages, viruses that infect bacteria, and are more likely to be put to use by humans than to pose a threat.

Naturally, we know less about the other 29 virus types, but it is thought these also live (if a virus can be said to be alive) in soil microbes or plants, not animals. Many of their suspected hosts, particularly Methylobacterium, were also found trapped in the ice.

More:
https://www.iflscience.com/environment/viruses-found-in-15000yearold-tibetan-glacier-ice-are-like-nothing-seen-before/

[vercetti2021]

1. Oh god please stop!

Don't unleash anything worse!

[NNadir]

5. Before panicking you may wish to watch this lecture on genetic mapping of sea viruses...

...and other microbes:

Prof. Kay Bidle, Rutgers University: The Invisible World of Marine Microbes: How Earth’s Smallest Living Things Have the Biggest Impact on How Our Ocean Works

I attended this memorable lecture live, and my sons, who accompanied me still laugh about one of the questions from the audience during the QA, which Dr. Bidle handled with incredibly smooth grace.

Only a tiny subset of viruses infect humans.

[Random Boomer]

7. All it takes is one n/t

[NNadir]

8. Wow. It's surprising humans exist.

It could be connected with the existence of an immune system, with which human beings evolved, I don't know.

A scientist who is unaware of the laws of probability is probably not much of a scientist at all.

[Throck]

2. Here we go again.

[magicarpet]

3. trDUMP was right,.... It is all Doctor Fauci's fault.,

[abqtommy]

4. I don't see how people breathing on ice cores to discover viruses is very scientific. At least

put on masks!

[NNadir]

6. Please refer to post #5.

[Javaman]

9. please stop with the anti-science posts.

this type of research has been going on and on for decades

virus, bacteria and other micro organisms have always been found.

this is very valuable and important work considering we are losing glacial ice at a rapid rate.

Taking core samples is a much valued piece of research to learn about the history and development of the planet.

I choose not to live in fear.