The pandemic of 2019 reminded us how precious life is. At this time, we feel scared even by hearing the name of the pandemic – the recent devastation caused by Coronavirus has told all of us that no one is ahead of nature. According to experts, this epidemic could have been prevented if we had not played with nature so much.
The epidemic we are fearing today is also related to nature. Let us know how the next pandemic can come from the millions of years old ice frozen on Earth.
What is permafrost?
Permafrost refers to the substance beneath the earth that is permanently frozen. This material can be anything: organic soil, mineral soil, sand, gravel. Glacier ice may fit this definition but scientists do not include it or sea ice in the definition of permafrost.
In the northern part of the Earth (Arctic), approximately 23 million square kilometers of land remains frozen throughout the year. And millions of years old microorganisms are thriving inside this frozen land.
Due to rising temperatures, permafrost is melting around the world, exposing what had been thriving underground for millions of years. The remains of many ancient animals and even pathogens will continue to thrive in areas with traditionally low temperatures as permafrost continues to thaw.
is the biggest contributor to climate change
Climate change and global warming are the biggest reasons for the melting of permafrost.
The severity of climate change is increasing. The Arctic is one of the parts of the world most affected by this phenomenon. As global temperatures rise, ancient viruses stored in the Arctic’s permafrost layers will become exposed and potentially lead to pandemics like COVID-19 (or worse).
Due to global warming, the land is now heating up at a faster rate, due to which greenhouse gases trapped in the soil for a long time will also be released. As a result, pathogens that melt and dry out can cause long-term trouble among humans and wildlife in the form of viruses.
How melting permafrost could lead to a pandemic
The Arctic is no stranger to deadly viruses. The bodies of victims of the 1918 influenza pandemic, to which many are now comparing the current coronavirus pandemic, are still buried in Arctic permafrost.
And centuries after an outbreak of smallpox in Siberian settlements in the 1890s, the bodies of people buried along the banks of the now-destroying Kolyma River are beginning to resurface.
However, it is not necessary that all types of microorganisms, such as bacteria and viruses, buried in the permafrost of the Arctic pose a threat to organisms.
But other unknown viruses and bacteria could potentially spread to humans after being preserved within Arctic ice for hundreds or thousands of years. Without the immunity that our ancestors had, both humans and animals may have been extremely vulnerable to revived pathogens that could spread disease.
protect nature
Now the question arises that what is the condition of this upcoming problem. Melting of glacier is directly the main reason for this. And if the continuously increasing temperature of the earth is stopped or reduced, then this matter can be relieved to a great extent.
For this, all the countries of the world need to take more stringent steps towards climate change under the Paris Agreement. Keep in mind, if we all fight this battle together and try our best to save Mother Earth, then we will be able to avoid the coming epidemic and cataclysm.