48,000-Year-Old Zombie Virus revived by scientists is powerful than Covid-19?

According to a team from the French National Center for Scientific Research, further research is required to determine the potential risks posed by viruses in permafrost as frozen landscapes melt due to climate change.

Several "zombie viruses" that had been dormant in Siberian permafrost for tens of thousands of years, including one that was approximately 50,000 years old, have been brought back to life by scientists.

Scientists examined permafrost samples taken from the Russian region and discovered the 13 new viruses.

According to a study headed by microbiologist Jean-Marie Alempic of the French National Centre for Scientific Research, one of the viruses had maintained its infectiousness despite spending more than 48,500 years in deep permafrost.

The pandoravirus only affects single-cell organisms and shouldn't be dangerous to people.

Explained: What is Zombie Virus?

The virus appeared as a result of the permafrost thawing brought on by the increase in global temperature.

One of the 13 viruses described in the research, each of which has its unique genome, is the new strain, according to Science Alert.

The oldest, named Pandoravirus yedoma after the legendary figure Pandora, was 48,500 years old, which is a record for a virus that has been frozen before thawing and resuming its infectious ability.

The previous record was held by a virus that had been around for 30,000 years and was found in Siberia in 2013 by the same scientists.

Where was Zombie virus found?

The record-breaking Zombie virus was discovered beneath a lake; additional extraction sites included Siberian wolf guts, mammoth wool, and other permafrost-buried materials. The scientists demonstrated that the viruses still had the potential to be contagious pathogens using live single-cell amoeba cultures.

Is Zombie virus more dangerous than corona virus?

There has only been a small amount of research on "living" viruses discovered in permafrost, according to the study, which has not been peer-reviewed.

This "wrongly implies that such events are infrequent and that 'zombie viruses' are not a public health issue," according to the scientists. 

The so-called zombie viruses don't harm people since they only affect microorganisms, but other infections that might be unleashed when permafrost melts in the future could be dangerous to people, according to experts.

The environmental organization Greenpeace has even questioned if such "back-from-the-dead" diseases may cause a new epidemic.

You may like: 50 World Cup Facts Every Fan Should Know

Permafrost and their causes and effects

The scientists from the French National Center for Scientific Research stated that more research is necessary to determine the potential risks posed by viruses in permafrost when frozen landscapes melt due to climate change.

"Permafrost is permanently melting as a result of global warming, releasing organic material that has been frozen for up to a million years. The majority of this organic material breaks down into carbon dioxide and methane, increasing the greenhouse effect.

This organic material also includes viruses and revived cellular microbes that have lain dormant since the dawn of time.

Go to Link