According to Live Science, researchers from the Chinese Academy of Sciences have sampled 21 glaciers on the Tibetan Plateau and sequenced the DNA of microorganisms that are “dormant” in permafrost.
All the data have been compiled into a massive database of microbial genes named “Tibetan Glacier Gene and Genome.” This marks the first time in the world that a community of microorganisms “sealed” in permafrost has been gene sequenced.
Glaciers in Tibet could release 900 previously unknown bacterial species into the world if they continue to melt – (Photo: LIVE SCIENCE)
A total of 968 microbial species have been identified, primarily bacteria, along with algae, archaea, and fungi. Surprisingly, 98% of them have never been recorded on Earth.
What’s even more chilling is that these mysterious bacteria, despite being trapped in ice for 10,000 years, could potentially be revived if the ice continues to melt due to climate change, releasing them into the world.
Many of these species are dangerous bacteria, capable of causing new pandemics, as the DNA results also identified several species that pose serious health risks to humans.
“Ancient bacteria could be released as the ice melts, leading to outbreaks in the region and even pandemics,” the authors wrote in their publication in Nature Biotechnology.
This is not the first time the threat from entities trapped in permafrost has been highlighted, including organic materials that risk releasing “carbon” and methane “bombs” into the atmosphere, or bacteria and viruses that could be harmful to humans and animals. This once again emphasizes the devastating impact of climate change on humanity.
