Secrets revealed under the 'eternal time bomb' in Siberia

DNUM_CGZBCZCABG 19:27

Mummies, mammoth tusks, giant viruses are among the artifacts that could be uncovered if Siberia's permafrost melts.

Lớp đất đóng băng vĩnh cửu ở Siberia. Ảnh: Siberian Times.
Permafrost in Siberia. Photo: Siberian Times.

The Siberian permafrost is like a natural refrigerator that has preserved everything buried inside for hundreds of thousands of years, according to Wired. But global warming is causing this refrigerator to go into defrost mode. "Permafrost is a time bomb," said Robert Spencer, an environmental scientist at the University of Florida. As it thaws, the ice could reveal things it has kept hidden for centuries.

Bacteria

Vi khuẩn bệnh than lây lan khi xác tuần lộc nhiễm bệnh được rã đông. Ảnh minh họa: Business Insider.
Anthrax bacteria spread when infected reindeer carcasses were thawed. Illustration photo: Business Insider.

An anthrax outbreak in western Siberia 75 years ago killed many reindeer herds. Warmer weather thawed the decades-old frozen carcasses of some of the infected reindeer in July, spreading the anthrax bacteria that infected 23 people and killed one.

Carbon

Tàn dư của động thực vật trong băng chứa tới 1.500 tỷ tấn carbon. Ảnh: Instagram.
Remains of plants and animals in the ice contain up to 1,500 billion tons of carbon. Photo: Instagram.

The remains of ancient grasses, fungi, and animals buried in the ice contain a total of 1,500 billion tons of carbon. Microbes and bacteria eat the thick layer, releasing carbon dioxide that warms the atmosphere. Warming in turn melts the ice. The carbon escapes from the permafrost, repeating the cycle over and over again.

Methane gas

Vi khuẩn sản xuất ra nhiều khí methane hơn khi băng tan. Ảnh: Siberian Times.
Bacteria produce more methane as ice melts. Photo: Siberian Times.

In 2014, scientists began noticing large craters appearing along the Yamal Peninsula in Russia’s remote region. The most likely explanation is that the ground is getting warmer, causing the ice to melt, which makes the ground wetter. Bacteria produce more methane, which causes explosions that cause the ground to collapse into craters.

Siberian royal family

Một hình xăm trên xác ướp công chúa Siberia 2.500 năm tuổi. Ảnh: Siberian Times.
A tattoo on the 2,500-year-old mummy of a Siberian princess. Photo: Siberian Times.

In 1993, a Russian researcher found the remarkably well-preserved 2,500-year-old body of an ancient princess covered in spiral tattoos, buried with figurines, spice jars, and six horses. Archaeologists believe that the woman was of noble descent in life, unlike the bodies in the usual burial site.

Mammoth ivory

Ngà voi ma-mút có thể trồi lên mặt đất khi lớp băng vĩnh cửu tan rã. Ảnh: Phys.org.
Mammoth tusks may emerge from the ground as the permafrost thaws. Photo: Phys.org.

Climate change causes rapid soil erosion, making ancient bones more easily exposed.

Virus

Loài virus cổ đại khổng lồ bị chôn vùi dưới lớp băng Siberia. Ảnh minh họa: BBC.
Giant ancient virus buried under Siberian ice. Illustration: BBC.

Over the past two years, French microbiologists have discovered two giant ancient viruses buried deep in the Siberian permafrost. These viruses can still infect other organisms, such as amoebas. However, the researchers warn that there are far more terrifying viruses lurking in the thick ice.

According to VNE

RELATED NEWS

Featured Nghe An Newspaper

Latest

x
Secrets revealed under the 'eternal time bomb' in Siberia
POWERED BYONECMS- A PRODUCT OFNEKO