A Bug Buried in Glacier Hibernates, Awakens and Moves After 46,000 Years

Stone Age Worm Buried in Siberian Permafrost
"Risk of Ancient Virus Revival" Feared

A Stone Age worm buried in the Siberian permafrost has been reported to have awakened and moved after about 46,000 years.

According to the British Telegraph on the 27th (local time), this organism was discovered in 2018 by Russian scientists near fossilized squirrel burrows and glacial sediment layers by the Kolyma River in Siberia. Genetic sequencing analysis revealed that the worms were a type of nematode that entered dormancy during the last Ice Age.

A worm from 46,000 years ago. [Image source=MAX-PLANCK-GESELLSCHAFT website]

This organism was previously unknown and was named 'Panagrolaimus kolymaensis.'

The nematodes are about 1 mm in length, and some are known to survive at depths of up to 1.3 km underground, making them among the deepest-living multicellular animals. Some can even reproduce inside the guts of slugs, demonstrating diverse capabilities. Notably, nematodes exhibit survival abilities in extreme environments through cryptobiosis, a state similar to hibernation.

Radiocarbon dating of the permafrost layer suggests that these worms have been frozen continuously since the Late Pleistocene (126,000 to 11,700 years ago). They lived alongside ancient creatures such as mammoths that appeared during the same period.

The Telegraph reported that the worms regained life through sufficient nutrient supply. The initially discovered worms survived only a few months, so research is ongoing with newly bred worms. Dr. Philipp Schiffer from the University of Cologne, Germany, who leads the study, said, "The worms began reproducing immediately upon revival."

However, some in the academic community have raised concerns that the process of reviving organisms from a frozen state could also reactivate ancient viruses, potentially threatening humanity and the environment. While nematodes themselves pose little threat, the revival of various organisms such as bacteria, fungi, and plants could lead to unpredictable consequences.