Researchers at Ohio State University in the Midwestern United States have found 33 ancient viruses in Himalayan glaciers, including nearly 28 that had never been detected before.
The 14,500-year-old viruses were extirpated more than 6,700 meters above sea level on the Guliya ice cap in western China. The samples were taken in 2015 for analysis.
“These glaciers formed gradually with dust and gas. Many viruses have been deposited in this ice, ”said lead author of the study Zhi-Ping Zhong in a statement on Wednesday.
In their study, published Tuesday, the researchers claimed that the ice samples taken contained the genetic coding of 33 different viruses, at least 28 of which had never been detected.
That number is a drop of water compared to the pool of known viruses, which stand at about 10 nonillions or the number followed by 31 zeros, the researchers noted.
In their study, the researchers say this is only the third time ancient viruses have been discovered in ice dating back to the Ice Age.
The viruses discovered would not have attacked humans or animals, but rather bacteria. In addition, according to the researchers, environmental clues suggest that the newly discovered viruses thrived in plants and soil.
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