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Recently, scientists have uncovered more than 30 ancient viruses frozen in two ice samples taken from the Guliya ice cap in the Tibetan Plateau, China. Interestingly, most of these viruses bear no resemblance to any species previously known to humans. The ice samples containing the viruses were collected in 2015, with estimates suggesting that these ice cores formed at least 14,400 years ago.Zhi-Ping Zhong, the lead author and researcher at the Climate and Polar Research Center at Ohio State University, stated: “These glaciers accumulate year after year, along with dust and gases, retaining a multitude of viruses in the process. These layers create a timeline that allows scientists to utilize the information gathered from within the ice to further understand past environments, the formation of viruses, and how they respond to climate change.
Upon analyzing the ice, researchers uncovered genetic codes of 33 virus strains. Among these, 4 were familiar, while the remaining 28 were novel, with roughly 50% appearing viable when frozen. The team suggested these viruses likely originate from soil or vegetation, rather than animals or humans. Matthew Sullivan, co-author, remarked, 'These are viruses adept at thriving in harsh environments, exhibiting genes conducive to infecting cells in cold settings.'
Additionally, the research team indicated that the technology used to study bacteria and viruses in ice could aid in identifying similar gene sequences in other icy environments, such as Mars, the Moon, the Atacama Desert, and beyond.Source: USAToday
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