The oldest known ice on Earth lies frozen in Antarctica, in the Dry Valleys of the Transantarctic Mountains. Researchers melted five blocks of ice cut from rock-strewn glaciers there to discover entombed microbes 100,000 to 8 million years old. To avoid contamination of the ice with modern germs that would confuse results, the scientists took elaborate precautions, soaking the blocks in ethanol as an antiseptic and melting away the outer inches of ice using sterile water to decontaminate them.
The researchers found microbes in all the ice, more in the young than in the old. They also grew them out in the lab.
“The young stuff grew really fast,” said Rutgers University marine microbiologist Kay Bidle, doubling in number “every couple of days.” Until now, scientists didn’t know whether such ancient, frozen life could be revived, he added.
While such ancient organisms might not survive such a long deep-freeze, pieces of their DNA could. This suggests that as global warming melts the ice, these ancient genes could flow into the seas, which living microbes could suck up and use “to improve themselves, potentially altering their communities significantly,” Bidle said. Although it is unlikely ancient microbes or DNA would be harmful to humans, “it is something some researchers have highlighted the possibility of”.
But, we needn’t worry about anything serious resulting. Right? What’s the worse that could happen?
I completely agree with the uh-oh, Eidard. We have a dismal record of tinkering with nature…
Hmmm,
I thought of this years ago…and with all the archaeologists digging up graves and Tombs from Ancient times…You DONt know what has been sitting around for YEARS and years…
DNa is 1 TUFF bastard..
Why do you hate science so much?
ECA,
There is a difference between bacteria and viruses from a few thousand years and from one to eight million years. Consider that humans have never been exposed to these pathogens.
I have no idea of the probability but it does exist that there might be a pathogen released by global warming that humans have very little or no immunity. Also think about a pathogen that could effect animals and then humans, something like SARS or Bird Flu. Can you imagine an epidemic that wipes out the poultry, swine, or beef on this planet? Or even worse, what about a pathogen that attacks one of our hybrid grains such as rice, maize, or wheat?
This could be very dangerous stuff.
oh my gaaaad.
Jurassic friggen park, man!
I’m saving up for my pet velociraptor now
xD
4
Yeah, it reminds me of War of the Worlds, with the acient micro-organisims killing off the aliens. Something like that could happen, only to us instead.
Getting worked up over million-year old microbes is silly. Biology has evolved into more complex and nastier systems. Prehistoric microbes attacking today’s biota would be like Atilla the Hun leading his troops against a modern infantry division.
#7 – yup, you’re right, of course. Just like Baghdad.
I don’t understand anything to this story. Everybody knows that god created mankind and all other living forms at the same time.
I always feel safe when I read a scientific article featuring so many of the following words:
‘may’, ‘can apparently’, ‘unlikely’, ‘might not’, ‘suggests’, ‘could’, ‘might not’, etcetera, etcetera.
The study is obviously a measured first look – with results that few expected – probably because folks haven’t had long to consider the context or potential.
Real science will proceed with evaluations of several aspects: rate of exposure of new “old microbes”, further growth rates, potential dangers (benefits?) and, if dangers exist, what might be done to allay those dangers.
The rest of you can return to praying, now. That makes lots of people feel safe.
So someone tell me again, why a pandemic would be a bad thing?
#9 of course, nothing can be older than 6,000 years old, but even though these god-hating scientists are clearly deluded by none other than satan himself, don’t forget that global warming doesn’t exist either — so why worry? so long as king george is our president, nothing bad will ever happen to us.
4,
Correct..
But remember they found DNA in the Mastodon they Dug up YEARS ago.
they also found DNA, in the body they dug up in Europe, frozen in a glacier…
7.
We can only FIGHT what has been seen. This could spread as fast as a STD, and sit dormant..
This is like talking about Global warming…Until we know the PAST, we cant estimate the future. We can guess.. But practicality, says, that WAITNG and GUESSING dont save lives.
Even with Global warming, do you see ANYONE moving away from the Coast lines, and Low lands? Look at India, and Southern Asia NOW.