Climate change is a global concern with far-reaching implications. One of the lesser-known, yet potentially significant, consequences is the re-emergence of ancient “zombie” viruses, preserved for millennia in the permafrost. As global warming accelerates, the permafrost is thawing increasingly fast, potentially allowing these viruses to become infectious again.
The Permafrost and Its Secrets
Permafrost, a permanently frozen layer of soil beneath the ground, covers about a quarter of the Northern Hemisphere. As global warming accelerates, the permafrost is thawing at an unprecedented rate, potentially setting the stage for ancient pathogens to return. This thawing process releases organic material and million-year-old ice, which breaks down into carbon dioxide and methane, exacerbating the greenhouse effect.
The Zombie Viruses
The term “zombie virus” refers to ancient viruses that have been dormant, or “asleep,” for thousands of years, preserved in the permafrost. These viruses can potentially become active again if the permafrost in which they are trapped thaws.
Scientists have already revived a ‘zombie’ virus that spent 48,500 years frozen in permafrost. Jean-Michel Claverie, an Emeritus professor of medicine and genomics at the Aix-Marseille University School of Medicine in Marseille, France, has been studying these viruses. He has found that some of these ancient viruses are still infectious.
In 2014 and 2015, Claverie and his colleague Chantal Abergel published their findings on two still infectious viruses from a chunk of 30,000-year-old Siberian permafrost. Although these viruses, Pithovirus sibericum and Mollivirus sibericum, can infect only amoebas, the discovery is an indication that viruses that infect humans—such as smallpox and the Spanish flu—could potentially be preserved in permafrost.
The Risks and Challenges
The risks associated with these zombie viruses are not fully understood. If there is a virus hidden in the permafrost that we have not been in contact with for thousands of years, it might be that our immune defense is not sufficient.
The risk will increase when the permafrost thaws and more people migrate to the Arctic due to industrialization. Identifying viruses and other hazards contained in the warming permafrost is the first step in understanding what risk they pose to the Arctic.
However, many virologists say they are more worried by viruses that are currently circulating among humans than the risk of unusual ones from the permafrost.
The Role of Climate Change
Climate change is a significant factor in the potential re-emergence of these zombie viruses. As global warming accelerates, the permafrost is thawing increasingly fast, potentially allowing these viruses to become infectious again.
The thawing of the permafrost due to climate change may expose a vast store of ancient viruses. The warming permafrost has been blamed for outbreaks of infectious disease before. A 2016 outbreak of anthrax hit a remote Siberian village and was linked to a 75-year-old reindeer carcass that had emerged from the frozen ground.
Conclusion
While the re-emergence of zombie viruses may not pose an immediate threat, their potential reawakening serves as a stark reminder of the potential health risks associated with climate change. As the world continues to grapple with the effects of climate change, it is crucial to understand and prepare for all possible consequences, including the potential re-emergence of ancient viruses.
Further research is needed to identify the wide range of permafrost-dwelling organisms, some of which could pose health risks. As we continue to learn more about these zombie viruses, it is essential to remain proactive, not just reactive, in our approach to understanding and mitigating the potential risks they pose.
Citations:
[1] https://www.cnn.com/2023/03/08/world/permafrost-virus-risk-climate-scn/index.html
[2] https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/as-earth-warms-the-diseases-that-may-lie-within-permafrost-become-a-bigger-worry/
[3] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10333728/
[4] https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/zombie-anthrax-goes-on-a-killing-spree-in-siberia-how/
[5] https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2023-10-09/ancient-zombie-viruses-alarm-scientists-studying-warming-arctic
[6] https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2018/01/24/575974220/are-there-zombie-viruses-in-the-thawing-permafrost
[7] https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-is-unleashing-ancient-zombie-viruses/
[8] https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-revive-48500-year-old-virus-setting-world-record-180981208/
[9] https://jpost.com/health-and-wellness/article-745175
[10] https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2022/12/02/zombie-virus-russia-permafrost-thaw/
[11] https://thescopeboston.org/8687/news-and-features/features/scientists-grapple-with-a-possible-new-consequence-of-climate-change-zombie-viruses/