Scientists have discovered more than 1.7 thousand viruses in Himalayan glaciers

The viruses were obtained from the core of the Gulia glacier. The youngest example is only 160 years old, while the oldest is more than 41 thousand years old.

Scientists analyzed a sample of ice from the Himalayas and found in it the genomes of 1,705 viruses that are more than 41 thousand years old. Popular Science reports.

The ice sample was taken from the Gulia glacier on the Tibetan plateau at an altitude of over six kilometers. This glacier contains about 50 times more viral information than found in other glaciers. The identified viruses only infect bacteria and archaea and do not pose a threat to humans, animals or plants.

The scientists extracted DNA from nine sections of the 310-meter-long ice core, each representing a different time horizon. The oldest samples are more than 41 thousand years old, and the youngest is only 160 years old.

Using metagenomic analysis, the researchers discovered that the viral community changed depending on weather conditions. A particularly unique mix of microbes appeared about 11,500 years ago, when the last Ice Age ended.

About 70% of the viruses detected were unique to the Ghoulia Glacier and had never been found before on Earth, underscoring the importance of studying ancient viruses for understanding Earth’s history and predicting the future.

It was previously reported that scientists from Newcastle University in the UK said that by the end of the century, about half of the 215 thousand glaciers will disappear from the surface of the Earth.

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