Scientists Find Something Sinister Hiding Beneath the Alaskan Permafrost

Underground in Alaska is a 40-foot-long tunnel where you can find the Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory (CRREL). Researchers have been using this tunnel to study Alaska’s frozen landscape for over half a century.

Permafrost is basically any area of ground that has remained completely frozen for at least two consecutive years. It’s a frozen layer under the ground that is typically gravel, soil and sand bound by ice.

Permafrost isn’t exclusive to Alaska and can be found near the North and South poles. An area larger than the entire South American continent in the northern hemisphere is described as being “influenced” by permafrost.

Scientists in the CRREL have been studying the permafrost via a massive underground tunnel. They remove parts of the ice through the tunnel walls for testing.

With the permafrost covering such a large area of Alaska and containing materials dating back so far, it’s hardly surprising that samples contain more than simply icy soil and sand.

Scientists have also discovered a potentially worrying form of life in the permafrost. They have found that the ice contains bacteria and viruses that may be thousands of years old.

If there are viruses and bacteria in the ice that our species have never encountered before, these organisms might have the potential to cause diseases that we’ve never seen before.

Bacillus anthracis, the anthrax bacteria, can also be found in the ice of the permafrost. This is because it’s found naturally in soil around the world, typically affecting livestock and wild animals.

The permafrost is a victim of the changing global climate. As the Arctic gets warmer, permafrost is starting to thaw. This has potential domino effects on the climate.

As the permafrost melts, the pathogenic microbes that are found within it can be released, potentially causing disease outbreaks.

The risks associated with a potential outbreak of something like anthrax from melting permafrost are likely minimal, as there is so much of it around already in the world. It’s other potential pathogens in the ice that scientists are worried about.

There is debate as to exactly how damaging a release of pathogenic microbes from the Alaskan permafrost could be, but it’s definitely a potential risk. Many scientists are understandably deeply concerned about the outcome, especially after our species recently experienced the COVID-19 pandemic.