I was quite worried about this, but I heard a talk with an epidemiologist (I think) who talked about how unfrozen ancient pathogens aren’t as big a threat as we might assume. This is because they are genetically adapted to an ecosystem that no longer exists and animal and plant life whos immune system have since adapted over the years, making the ancient pathogen not equipped to affect the new life. This person compared it to accidentally plugging in a floppy disc with a virus from the 80s into a current day computer. The 80s virus wouldn’t know what to do.
I don’t think this is no longer scary. I just have hope that it’s not as dire as I thought before.
I’ll edit and link the article or podcast if I can find it.
zeroversion t1_isw6r4t wrote
Reply to Next pandemic may come from melting glaciers, new data shows. Analysis of Arctic lake suggests viruses and bacteria locked in ice could reawaken and infect wildlife. by chemistrynerd1994
I was quite worried about this, but I heard a talk with an epidemiologist (I think) who talked about how unfrozen ancient pathogens aren’t as big a threat as we might assume. This is because they are genetically adapted to an ecosystem that no longer exists and animal and plant life whos immune system have since adapted over the years, making the ancient pathogen not equipped to affect the new life. This person compared it to accidentally plugging in a floppy disc with a virus from the 80s into a current day computer. The 80s virus wouldn’t know what to do.
I don’t think this is no longer scary. I just have hope that it’s not as dire as I thought before.
I’ll edit and link the article or podcast if I can find it.