The discovery of new viruses dating back 15,000 years in a glacier in Tibet

Scientists have discovered previously unknown viruses dating back 15,000 years in ice samples taken from a glacier on the Tibetan Plateau, according to CNN.

According to a study published earlier this week, these new viruses differ from any previously known viruses.

A team of climatologists and microbiologists from Ohio State University sampled ice from the summit of the Gulia Glacier, 22,000 feet above sea level, in western China in 2015.

The team then analyzed the ice to find 33 types of viruses; At least 28 of them were previously unknown, and they survived due to being frozen.

It is possible that the viruses originated from soil or plants, rather than from humans or animals, where they were able to adapt to harsh conditions, according to the study.

The researchers emphasized that it would not harm humans. According to the study, ice captures the contents of the atmosphere over time, including viruses and microbes.

"Ice provides a frozen archive," said study co-author Loni Thompson, professor of earth sciences at Ohio State University.

Relatively little is known about viruses in glaciers, but the importance of the field is increasing as snow melts around the world as a result of climate change.

“It really grabs the public eye,” Thompson said, adding that the COVID-19 pandemic has raised awareness of the importance of learning about microbial communities.

Study co-author Matthew Sullivan, professor of microbiology at Ohio State University and director of the university's Center for Microbiome Science, said the methods used in the study allow scientists to assess the evolutionary rates of viruses present in different layers of ice.

It could also have benefits in the search for life on Mars, for example.

"Once you develop this new technology, it can help you answer questions in other really challenging environments," Sullivan said.