Scientists at the University of Colorado Boulder have revived microorganisms that were frozen in Alaskan permafrost for about 40,000 years. After several months of incubation, the ancient microbes “woke up” and began to actively reproduce, causing alarm among researchers.
Scientists from the University of Colorado Boulder conducted a unique experiment, resurrecting microorganisms frozen in Alaskan permafrost approximately 40,000 years ago. It was discovered that the ancient microbes not only “came back to life” after a millennium-long sleep but also began to form active colonies.
The researchers emphasized that these are not dead samples but living forms capable of adapting to modern conditions. “These are not by any means dead samples,” noted project leader Dr. Tristan Caro.
The experiments took place in the Permafrost Tunnel Research Facility near Fairbanks, Alaska. Scientists collected samples of the ancient soil, added water, and incubated them at temperatures corresponding to warm Arctic summers. After several months, the colonies of microorganisms began to actively grow, a phenomenon the researchers described as a “slow awakening.”
However, the results of the experiment have caused concern. The activation of ancient microbes is accompanied by the release of carbon dioxide (CO2)—one of the primary greenhouse gases accelerating global warming. Furthermore, there is a risk that potentially dangerous pathogens capable of causing new epidemics might be among the awakened microorganisms.
Scientists stress that while the “revived” microbes currently pose no direct threat to humans, the melting of permafrost due to climate change could lead to the mass release of ancient viruses and bacteria that have long been isolated.
Previously, in 2022, researchers reported the revival of a “Pandoravirus” that had been dormant in Siberian permafrost for nearly 48,500 years. At the time, experts warned that such findings were just the “tip of the iceberg” and that microorganisms unknown to modern science could be hidden deep within the Arctic.
Specialists refer to permafrost as an “icy graveyard” where not only animal bones and plants are preserved but also ancient life forms. As the climate warms, this natural barrier is breaking down, and what has been frozen for millennia is beginning to wake up.
