Revived ancient virus 30,000 years old

French scientists are cautious when trying to revive a frozen prehistoric virus in Siberia.

Scientists continue to revive the ancient 30,000-year-old virus

According to RT, the virus, called Mollivirus sibericum , is about 0.6 microns in size, more than a millionth of a millimeter, equivalent to bacteria and visible under an optical microscope, so it is called "giant virus." ". In addition, the virus could potentially lethal dangers, carrying up to 523 genetic proteins. The regular influenza virus has only 11 genes.

Giant virus Mollivirus sibericum.(Photo: AFP).

The virus exists in a sample of ice taken from a depth of 30m under Chukotka, east of Siberia, along with another giant prehistoric virus, Pithovirus sibericum . Mollivirus sibericum is the second virus discovered by French scientists, and the fourth prehistoric virus found since 2003.

Scientists are preparing to "wake up" this virus, but are also very careful to ensure that it will not pose a danger to humans and animals. They decided to "lure" the virus back to life by placing it together with a single-celled amoeba - acting as the host of the virus. Scientists used this method to awaken Pithovirus sibericum last year.

4 prehistoric giant viruses have been found since 2003. (Photo: AMU).

"This finding shows that the giant virus is not rare and very diverse. It also shows that the ability to survive under permafrost for a long time not only exists in some viruses, but perhaps a strain as well. Viruses have different humanization strategies, so they also have different infection mechanisms , " said the National Center for French Scientific Research (CNRS).

Researchers often "revive" ancient viruses to learn more about them. In 2004, American scientists revived the famous Spanish flu virus, which killed tens of millions of people at the beginning of the last century.