Melting Glaciers Unleash Ancient Microbes and Viruses

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Why it matters: Glaciers in Alaska, the Alps, and Kilimanjaro are retreating faster than ever. New lakes are forming, but with them comes a hidden danger — ancient bacteria and viruses trapped in the ice for thousands of years.



What Scientists Found

Researchers such as Jean-Michel Claverie (CNRS, France) and Lonnie Thompson (Ohio State University) have identified viral genomes in ice cores up to 15,000 years old. In Siberia, giant viruses like Pithovirus sibericum were revived from permafrost samples.

Regions at Risk

  • Alaska — Proglacial lakes like Portage and Mendenhall are expanding, raising risks of microbial release.
  • Alps — High-altitude lakes are changing as glaciers shrink, increasing exposure to new microbial communities.
  • Kilimanjaro — Africa’s vanishing glaciers hold unique microbes now being released into alpine streams.

Possible Diseases

While most ancient viruses target microbes, scientists warn of risks such as anthrax outbreaks (already seen in thawing Siberian soil), water-borne diseases like Giardia, or new bacterial blooms in glacial lakes.

Expert Opinions

Organizations like the CDC and WHO stress the need for monitoring new lakes, testing water quality, and preparing health systems. Prevention and surveillance cost far less than treating outbreaks.

Economic Impact

The average hospital stay in the U.S. costs over $14,000. A widespread outbreak linked to thawing pathogens could cost billions — prevention is far cheaper than cure.

Known Glacial Lakes

Examples include Portage Lake (Alaska), Swiss Alpine tarns, and meltwater ponds on Kilimanjaro. In Siberia, thawed permafrost already caused an anthrax outbreak — a warning of what could come.

What You Can Do

Avoid drinking untreated glacial lake water, follow local health advisories, and support scientific monitoring. Policymakers should fund glacier microbiology research and water testing programs.

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Source: Natural World 50 — Explore more at https://naturalworld50.blogspot.com

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