Scientists revive an ancient virus frozen for 48,500 years
Scientists have revived the 48,500-year-old virus. Virus also believed to be able to infect living organisms.
An international research team consists of scientists has revived the 48,500-year-old virus. It was stated that the virus, which is believed to be the oldest virus ever revived, still has the ability to infect living organisms.
Pandoravirus yedoma is able to infect living organisms
The newly discovered virus is nearly 50,000 years old, according to the report. "48,500 years is a world record," Jean-Michel Claverie of the University of Aix-Marseille in France told to New Scientist. In their recent study, the team studied a total of seven ancient viruses.
These viruses have been locked deeply in the Siberian permafrost since the Ice Age. In this research, the team was able to revive the aforementioned 48,500 years old virus. This virus has been named Pandoravirus yedoma with a reference to Pandora's box. This virus was found in a sample of permafrost which was taken from 52 feet below the bottom of a lake in Yukechi Alas in the Russian Republic of Yakutia.
Moreover, this virus has been reported to infect single-cell organism known as amoebas. Scientists are concerned about this development because it raises the possibility that potent infectious agents may be dormant within these well-preserved ancient animal remains.
The arctic districts of the planet are generally liberated from long-lasting human pilgrims. However, the researchers states that more people than ever before are traveling to the planet's coldest regions in search of valuable resources like oil, gold, and diamonds, which are abundant in these previously unexplored regions. As the upper layers of the permafrost are actually torn out of the way during strip-mining operations, viral exposure may be inevitable.
