Seven viruses from the Siberian permafrost have been revived and replicated themselves within the lab – together with the oldest revived to this point
Health
23 November 2022
As permafrost thaws, it can launch carbon and probably additionally long-dormant historical viruses NASA/JPL-Caltech/Charles Miller
Seven sorts of viruses which have lain frozen within the Siberian permafrost for 1000’s of years have been revived. The youngest have been frozen for 27,000 years, whereas the oldest was on ice for 48,500 years – making it probably the most historical virus resuscitated to this point.
“48,500 years is a world record,” says Jean-Michel Claverie at Aix-Marseille University in France, who did the work along with his colleagues. His group has previously revived two 30,000-year-old viruses …