Tag: Permafrost

Rising temperatures in the Arctic are thawing the region's permafrost — a frozen layer of soil beneath the earth — and potentially reawakening the "zombie virus" that has been dormant for tens of thousands of years. Permafrost spans one-fifth of the Northern Hemisphere and has long supported the Arctic tundra and boreal forests of Alaska, Canada, and Russia. It functions as a time capsule, preserving — in addition to ancient infections. Scientists Revive ‘Zombie’ Virus Jean-Michel Claverie, Emeritus Professor of Medicine and Genomics at Aix-Marseille University Faculty of Medicine in Marseille, France,...