Science! (10 Viewers)

In news that’s a lot less sinister than it sounds, but no less exciting, Russian scientists have revived and cloned 24,000-year-old zombies.

Don’t worry—this isn’t a Walking Dead situation. The undead organisms in questions are called bdelloid rotifers, or microscopic “wheel animals” named for their circular mouths surrounded by tiny hairs. Like the more charismatic tardigrade, bdelloid rotifers are extremophiles—organisms that can withstand astonishing conditions like red-hot undersea vents or the vacuum of space.

For this experiment, the scientists went to Siberia and carved off a slice of permafrost, the term for ground that permanently stays frozen. This particular area has been frozen since at least the end of the Pleistocene epoch (2.6 million to 11,700 years ago).

The scientists took the frozen rotifers and thawed them gently, at which point the rotifers began to just live their lives again, including their characteristic asexual reproduction. The secret of the rotifers’ success is a state of suspended animation called cryptobiosis..............

 
In news that’s a lot less sinister than it sounds, but no less exciting, Russian scientists have revived and cloned 24,000-year-old zombies.

Don’t worry—this isn’t a Walking Dead situation. The undead organisms in questions are called bdelloid rotifers, or microscopic “wheel animals” named for their circular mouths surrounded by tiny hairs. Like the more charismatic tardigrade, bdelloid rotifers are extremophiles—organisms that can withstand astonishing conditions like red-hot undersea vents or the vacuum of space.

For this experiment, the scientists went to Siberia and carved off a slice of permafrost, the term for ground that permanently stays frozen. This particular area has been frozen since at least the end of the Pleistocene epoch (2.6 million to 11,700 years ago).

The scientists took the frozen rotifers and thawed them gently, at which point the rotifers began to just live their lives again, including their characteristic asexual reproduction. The secret of the rotifers’ success is a state of suspended animation called cryptobiosis..............

I hope those things can't transmit viruses. We don't need no 10,000 or 1 million year old virus coming back to life(ish).
 
I hope those things can't transmit viruses. We don't need no 10,000 or 1 million year old virus coming back to life(ish).
We'd probably be ok. Our ancestors have passed down genetic resistance. I remember the debate when Jurassic Park was first released. Dinosaurs and other animals would be far more vulnerable to modern viruses than we are to ancient ones
 
We'd probably be ok. Our ancestors have passed down genetic resistance. I remember the debate when Jurassic Park was first released. Dinosaurs and other animals would be far more vulnerable to modern viruses than we are to ancient ones
Over that amount of time could that resistance have faded significantly?
 
Over that amount of time could that resistance have faded significantly?
Most studies say we have resistance. There was a movie called war of the worlds written by Orsen Wells. The Martian invaders eventually succumbed to a common cold virus. That's what would probably happen to the dinosaurs if they were ever resurected .

 
the war of the worlds
1898 = book by h.g. wells
1938 = radio drama by orson welles
1953 = movie 1
2005 = movie 2
 

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