Bringing ancient viruses back to life

Image: Pithovirus sibericum. Image credit: © IGS – CNRS / AMU. Created by Digital Micrograph, Gatan Inc. Article by Nicole Kilian. Advanced Science News –  January 4, 2023.

How seven ancient viruses ranging in age from 27,000 to 48,500 years were recovered from the Siberian permafrost, and what researchers hope to learn from them.

Recently, scientists have reported the discovery of an almost 50,000-year-old virus in the Siberian permafrost — and they were able to revive it. Permafrost deep in the heart of Russia offers the perfect environment for these viruses to lie inactive for tens of thousands of years. This month, a team of researchers from France, Germany and Russia led by Jean-Michel Claverie, emeritus professor at Aix Marseille University, published research in which seven of these zombie viruses, […]

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