Global warming revives ancient viruses in the Arctic

Global warming, which has become increasingly evident in recent decades, poses a significant threat to climate and environmental safety. This is primarily due to the melting of perennial ice in the Arctic regions. The progressive thawing of these areas has the potential to reanimate viruses considered ‘zombie’ viruses, given their ancient status and the fact that they have been preserved in the permafrost. These pathogens, which are not yet recognised by modern medicine, have been identified in laboratory settings through the analysis of samples obtained from permafrost soils that are currently undergoing thawing. The full pathogenic potential of these microorganisms remains to be elucidated; however, there exists a possibility that some could be zoonotic, meaning they can be transmitted from animals to humans. In 2023, researchers successfully revived a 48,500-year-old virus that was still capable of infecting living organisms, and more than 1,700 viruses, some of which were previously unknown, were discovered in China’s Guliya Glacier. Concerns have been raised by some experts that a released virus could rapidly adapt and spread to unprepared human populations, especially in Arctic regions with limited health resources, potentially triggering a global health emergency.