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Russian biologists have discovered that worms found in a layer of Siberian ice 40 000 years ago seem to be able to live again.
Biologists excavated more than 300 samples of different layers of frozen soil. The soil in the samples comes from different eras. In two of these samples, biologists were able to discover viable roundworms. Using carbon dating, scientists were able to establish that worms were at least 40,000 years old. But what is even more striking: in a hot laboratory, about 20 degrees, they could come back to life. After a while, they started to crawl and eat again.
Worms can survive in an ice layer after 40,000 years, which means that other organisms, such as viruses and bacteria, stay in the permafrost for so long. The fact that climate change further thaws permafrost can also mean that potentially lethal viruses and bacteria can come back after such a long period of hibernation.
Methaangas
At the same time, the Siberian region is still struggling with another problem that increases the risk of "thawing" of "old" bacteria: there are gigantic methane bubbles under floor. Due to the warm weather in Siberia due to climate change, the ground thaws much more than normal, which releases huge quantities of methane. And this gas leads to a much greater greenhouse effect for the Earth than the emission of CO2 in the air.
The result: a vicious circle, as permafrost will thaw even faster and methane bubbles will be even faster and released in larger quantities, which could significantly increase global warming.
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