The 10,000-year-old Tibetan creature is about to resurrect, possibly causing a new pandemic?

According to Live Science, researchers from the Chinese Academy of Sciences took samples from 21 glaciers on the Tibetan plateau, then sequenced the DNA of microscopic organisms that were "hibernating" in the permafrost.

All are gathered into a huge database of microbial genomes, which they named "Tibetan Glacier Genomes and Genes". This is the first time in the world that a microbial community "sealed" in permafrost has been genetically sequenced.

The glacier in Tibet could release 900 unknown species of bacteria to the world if it continues to melt

A total of 968 species of microorganisms have been identified, mainly bacteria but also algae, archaea and fungi. More amazingly, 98% of them have never been recorded on Earth.

Continuing to cause shivers, these mysterious bacteria, even though they have been trapped in the ice for 10,000 years, the analysis results show that they can completely be revived if the ice continues to melt due to climate change and release them. world.

Many of these species are dangerous bacteria, capable of causing new pandemics because the DNA results also help identify many species that are capable of causing serious health problems to humans.

"Ancient bacteria could have been swept away by melting ice, leading to regional epidemics and even pandemics," the authors wrote in a paper published in Nature Biotechnology.

This is not the first time that the threat of things trapped in permafrost has been shown, including organic materials that threaten to release carbon and methane "bombs" into the atmosphere or bacteria. Viruses are capable of causing disease in humans and animals. This once again highlights the destructive impact of climate change on humanity.