Since COVlD-19, scientists have been looking ahead to the next potential global pandemic—and some believe it could come from the Arctic.
As climate change accelerates, permafrost and glaciers are melting, potentially releasing ancient, dormant microbes—often called “zombie viruses”—that have been frozen for tens of thousands of years. Some of these have already been revived in labs, like the Pithovirus sibericum (30,000 years old) and Pacmanvirus lupus (from a 27,000-year-old wolf).
In 2016, thawed anthrax spores from a frozen reindeer carcass led to a deadly outbreak in Siberia. And in 2023, scientists discovered 1,700 ancient viruses inside a glacier in China—most never seen before.
Why it’s dangerous:
Our immune systems may have no defense against these ancient pathogens.
Zoonotic diseases (those that jump from animals to humans) are a major concern.
The Arctic lacks strong healthcare infrastructure, which could delay response times if an outbreak begins there.
Scientists warn: What happens in the Arctic doesn’t stay in the Arctic.