Updated 3rd April 2022
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I wrote this article 12 years before the CoVid Pandemic.
How safe is it to revive dormant microbes, viruses or bacteria?
2009
Dr Jennifer Loveland-Curtze and a team of scientists from the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at Pennsylvania State University has revived a bug that has lain dormant for over 120,000 years.
The Story in Brief
Scientists who want to go bug hunting in space practice by searching out dormant bacteria on earth and reviving them for research.
The latest bug, a tiny brown-purple microbe was discovered when a Gram-negative 1 ultra micro bacterium was isolated from a 120,000-year-old Greenland glacier ice core recovered from a depth of 3,042 metres (3.042 kilometres).
Dubbed Herminiimonas glaciei, the pigmentation of the original colony was brown-purple but after recultivation the colonies were translucent white to tan coloured.
It took almost 12 months for the team to revive the microbe (designated strain UMB49T) by gently warming it in an incubator at 2%C for seven months and then at 5%C for a further four and a half months .
The H. glaciei microbe is tiny – ten to 50 times smaller than E. coli (which is also Gram-negative 1). Experts say its small size probably helped it to survive in the liquid veins among the ice crystals.
Dr Loveland-Curtze says that other microorganisms could exist on other worlds and studying Microbes found in extreme conditions on Earth may provide insight into what sorts of life forms could survive elsewhere in the solar system.
Stranger Danger
While the newly discovered bug and its revival has excited scientists who believe it raises hopes they might revive dormant life, including bugs found on planets such as Mars, none of the reports we have read so far, discussed the danger inherent in reviving long dormant bacterium.
Whether or not this particular Gram-negative ultra-micro bacterium is dangerous to humans (there was no mention of this in the scientific report but since this article is 14 years old, we can assume it was not) it does raise the question; is it safe to uncover such bacteria either from the depths of the earth or from extra-terrestrial planets?
There is the possibility that scientists may discover or “recover” DNA molecules that could have very beneficial uses but if one is discovered that is lethal to humans or plant and animal life would governments or terrorist groups be tempted to cultivate it for use as a deadly “weapon”
One could make the argument that it is better to discover a potential threat before it becomes a threat, so that scientists have time to examine it and develop an antidote to it. But can scientists be trusted to keep it secure? There have been instances including the recent escape from a laboratory in Australia of the horse flu virus that caused havoc in that industry
2023
(This was the example we used in 2009 but since then we have seen how the spread of Covid which probably escaped from a laboratory, caused millions of deaths and economic mayhem. A worse disaster was only avoided by scientists discovering a vaccine in time to minimise its effects – This time.).
Of course, human curiosity is not the only way that extra-terrestrial bacteria from Mars or elsewhere make their way to earth, for example there are 12 Martian meteors known to exist on earth, collectively called Shergotty-Nakhla-Chassingy or SNC (“snick”) meteorites. The most famous Martian meteor is called Allan Hills 84001 (ALH 84001) and is believed to have blasted off Mars 16 million years ago, hitting Earth 13,000 years ago in Antarctica. It appears to hold microscopic fossils of Maritain bacteria which sparked intense debate about whether ancient life ever existed on Mars.
Some people postulate that “life” may have “arrived” on earth aboard such meteorites which could lead one to hypothesis that the “killer” bug that wipes out humanity may also arrive the same way ….or be brought back to earth by an unsuspecting team of scientists? Maybe it is already here but lying dormant, possibly after wiping out life as it was in a previous millennium?
Is Earth the best place to do dangerous scientific research?
Shadow in the Flame believes that reviving dormant microbes, viruses or bacteria or bringing them back to earth for investigation is too important to be left to curious scientists to decide, especially as their rise to the top of the scientific ladder of recognition often depends on making ground breaking “discoveries”.
It is the mark of an outstanding scientist to be curious and we want and expect them to be excited by challenges and new discoveries. But is earth the only place to carry out this type of scientific research? Indeed, is it the right place? This may be exactly the type of work that should be done on a space station or on the moon.
Many governments have been looking for a good excuse to go back to the moon. Maybe they should build a secure research laboratory there to carry out this type of potentially dangerous research.
What do you think?
1 According to Wikipedia Gram-negative bacteria are those bacteria that do not retain crystal violet dye in the Gram staining protocol.
Many species of Gram-negative bacteria are pathogenic, meaning that they can cause disease in a host organism. This pathogenic capability is usually associated with certain components of Gram-negative cell walls, in particular the lipopolysaccharide (also known as LPS) layer. In humans, LPS triggers an innate immune response characterized by cytokine production and immune system activation. Inflammation is a common result of cytokine production, which can also produce host toxicity.
hello,
this is really a nice article.
Hey James,
I think science is a very interesting area for philosophy and I enjoy writing about it. You will see more science based articles in the future. Hope you keep coming back.
Cheers,
Ric
I saw this story on another blog but it wasn’t as interesting as this. Good research. You have some interesting stuff on this blog.
Quite scarry. We really don’t know what the scientists are doing. They will be the death of us one day 🙂
Wow, someone should make a movie about this. Scientist drills deep into the earths core and brings up 120,000 year old killer Virus. Great post.
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Editor:
Wish I could help but we are having server problems with our own host company at the moment.
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отличный сайт спасибо за ссылку , хороший монитор 🙂 Прекрасный дизайн , так и не плохой сервис будет присмотреться , так и не плохой сайт , не так уж много программ, перечисленных , но выглядит очень велика.
Which translated says:
Thanks for the outstanding site of reference material, well done:) Excellent design, so not poor service will look, so not poor site, there are not too many programs, enumerated, but it appears is very great.
That’s probably a bit mangled but it is the best I could do. 🙂
Ric
Hello there!
Guys, i have a website, and i think i need better positions in Google, Bing and !Yahoo.
But what SEO agency to choose from?
What is India SEO – is it worth anything?
Thank you!
Ed:
Hi, I think any SEO is better than no SEO but always remember it really comes down to the quality and quantity (including regularity) of your content. Post quality and Post often. Having said that, I can’t talk, I am far too slack so don’t do as I do, Do as I say. 🙂
просто класный блог
Which Translated says:
Simply a Classy Blog
I, envy you. Your blog is much better under the maintenance and design than mine. Who to you the design did?
Nice article. Thank you for this info
Hey bro.
I the first day here.
Look,new Foto
Hello All.
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Hello.
I the beginner.
Scandal is assured it,news Blog
Wissen ist Macht.
Which Translated says:
Knowledge is Power
It is pleasant to find adherents in the Internet!
Hi bro.
I the beginner.
Probably, it is interesting,
And in what here sense?
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Editor’s Note:
Thanks mate. And thank you for your kind offer, you can buy me a drink the next time I am in your neck of the woods. Your gratitude is more than we ask for and your compliments are more than we expect.
Cheers,
Ric
A man begins scathing his discernment teeth the senior time he bites out more than he can chew.
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Editor’s Note:
Thanks for your comment. You are welcome to write about the articles in your blog and quote small portions hopefully with a link back to the full article on this web site.
Copying the whole article doesn’t do either of us any good as we will both get slapped for having duplicate content.
We are also happy tpo write articles for your web site so if you are interested, please contact me at ric at shadowintheflame dot com.
Где вы это всё берёте )))
Which translated says:
Where you this all [berete]
Sorry folks, I couldn’t translate the key word but I hope it is not Russian for BS 🙂
Я просто поражена нет слов одни эмоции ))))
Which Translated says:
I am simply struck there are no words to express my emotions )))
We need your help supplement to the lack of information in order to improve website. Thank you very much
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Я Вас приветствую ! Рад тому что хоть у когото даходят руки освещать тему большое Вам спосибо.
Which Translated says:
I greet you! I am glad so that although in [kogoto] they [dakhodyat] hand to illuminate theme large to you. Thank you
I know that is not a very good job so if you can do better please send it to me. Cheers.
Being a blogger is like being in charge of your own personal insane asylum.
Sent from my iPhone 4G
All men delusion, but not equally. Those who day-dream by means of night in the dusty recesses of their minds, wake in the heyday to find that it was swell-headedness: but the dreamers of the day are rickety men, because they may act on their dreams with problematic eyes, to create them possible.
Note from the Editor
Mate you should be a writer. If you want to write a guest post or two, send me an email. ric at shadow in the flame dot com
I enjoy visiting daily to see your writings. I have your page bookmarked on my daily read list!
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ок торч
Which Translated means:
ok of SARS or for example think of SARS
hi, good apple in your post, I love that elegant apple,I need to find one for me, jane
Editor
Mmmm, not sure I get that?
EXACTLY what I’ve been looking for! Thanks so much!
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Ясность мысли способствует ясности изложения. Можете тоже самое объяснить для самых-самых блондинок?
Which Translated says:
The clarity of thought contributes to the clarity of the account. Can explain it more simply for the very – very blonds?
Editor:
HaHa. I once had the most beautiful blond apply for the job as my secretary. My office manager said I would be crazy to hire her as everyone knows blonds are dumb and the better looking they are the dumber they are. And she (the office manager) was a girl.
But out of 10 or more applicants I interviewed, she seemed by far the best one for the job. I agonised over it as the office manager was strongly against hiring her and to make matters worse, all the men in the office were totally for her. I thought that might be a problem but it would be up to her to handle it, so I hired her.
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With all the attention from the men and the agro from the office manager, she got off to a shaky start and I almost terminated her after a month. I told her that because she was pretty and blond everyone expected her to fail in business, but she looked me in the face and said “I will not fail” with such conviction, I could not fire her.
A couple of weeks later, the office manager’s husband had a bad accident and she had to leave work immediately. We thought she was coming back later but she couldn’t and didn’t return for almost a month. Michelle, the blond, stepped in to her job without being asked and without ever seeking any praise from anyone. She taught herself on the job, rang the office manager only when absolutely necessary and worked like a slave to get the work done.
She handled angry wives whose husbands were working too much, gave advice to the new staff, never looked frazzled and always had a smile for anyone who needed it. When the office manager came back, she could not believe that her work was up to date and well done. A few weeks later, she resigned to take an easier job closer to home. Her recommendation for a replacement – Don’t waste your money advertising, give it to Michelle.
She was with us for 3 or 4 years and by the time she left she was regarded by all including clients, suppliers, and staff as the most efficient, wonderful person in the company. It was an honour to work with her and I hope Michelle, wherever you are, you are happy and well. You changed our view of blonds forever.
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Да, тут до меня побывало прличное количество читателей. ) блог отличный саветую читать))
Which Translated Means:
Yes, I can see this blog attracts a lot of readers. The blog is outstanding [savetuyu] to read))
Действительно молодец! Поддерживаю! 🙂
Which Translated means:
Actually fine person! I support!
Editors Note
I am not sure if you are referring to our Comment Policy or the article, but thanks either way.
Я не уверен если вы ссылаетесь к нашей политике комментария или статье, то но благодарю любой путь.
Thank for this great post, i like what you wrote.
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Довольно странный материал вы нам предоставили
Which translated says:
Your material to us granted sufficiently strange
Editor’s note:
I’m not sure if that is good or bad, I’d be happy to get a better translation if any one is willing.
Интересный пост, спасибо. Интересует вопрос – будет ли продолжение? 🙂
Which translated to English says:
Interesting post, thanks. I have a question – will there be a continuation?
Editor’s note:
I think that the latest story, Confronting the Future is a continuation of this theme. It also deals with scientists going where others have feared to tread without concern for the philosophical issues.
Хотелосьбы поблагодарить Вас за выложеный мотериал, я с вами полностью согласен.
Which Translated means:
Thank you for the [vylozhenyy] material, I completely agree with you.
Just want to say what a great blog you got here!
I’ve been around for quite a lot of time, but finally decided to show my appreciation of your work!
Thumbs up, and keep it going!
Cheers
Christian
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ок хорошо
Which translated means:
ok it is good
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Seems that the bug can live even more than that time lol,thats so serious may be the doctors should come up with more measures to kill them 🙂
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Hi Kelly,
I have a very expensive spam filter – me. I read and end up deleting more comments than I let through because most are just spam. I feel sorry for them. What a way to waste your time – promoting junk.
This might be a good time for me to apologize to some readers though. Up until recently I deleted any comments in a foreign language because I didn’t know if they were spam or not. Then recently I copied and pasted a bunch of foreign language comments into a translator and found that some of them were genuine, so I approved them.
I felt really bad about the ones I had previously deleted though – so if anyone reading this didn’t get their genuine comment approved I apologize but I am now translating them before I delete or approve.
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Mmmm, I haven’t tried reading it on my iPhone. I will look into it.
Thanks for the tip.
Ric
Thanks Janis,
I must admit I have been slack about adding new posts lately as we have been very busy working on a new site we are launching soon. But I will be posting more regularly in the future. Thanks for your comment.
Best Wishes,
Ric
Hi Thanks for your comment. Have you visited our other publications
Cheers,
Ric
Hi Thanks for your comment. Have you tried our other publications:
Regards,
Ric
I guess the problem is no one knows so I just hope they keep the sample safe and secure.
Thanks for your comment.
.
Cheers,
Ric
I think this bug is dangerous because it is 120,000 years old maybe the germs and bacterias on it is upgraded because it is 120,000 years in the making and growing.
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Sorry, aber das bezweifel ich ganz stark Baer
I somehow dont agree with a few things, but its great anyways.
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Don't we all have enough to worry about between the Econmic climit and Swine Flu!!
Although recovering microbes, viruses or bacteria found in the extreme conditions on the earth may give human kind a valuable insight into what other life forms could survive in the solar system. It is important to remember the possible dangers that come with making these recoveries. As the article stated recovering these microbes, viruses or bacteria may pose potential threats to human life. In light of this I believe that if this type of research is to continue it should be done in secure research labs away from human populations – consequently the moon may be the answer.