Scientists Reviving 30,000 Year Old "Giant" Virus To See What Happens

[happyninja42]

I really think that title ought to be changed, it's wildly misleading. Scientists aren't reviving it, the first line says climate change is...the thing a bunch of scientists have been trying to warn us was coming for years!

Just saying, seems unfair to blame the scientists for this one.

Misleading headlines on the Escapist? Worded in a way that implies doom and gloom regardless of the actual context of the article?

http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/141511-Scientists-Create-Brain-to-Brain-Interface-in-Monkeys-and-Rats

Nooooo! Say it isn't so.

 

[otakon17]

"Scientists reviving 30k old virus to see what happens". I have to wonder, why do they feel the need to poke things!?

Dear GOD this does sound like a setup for a horror movie... eh, what's the worse that could happen?

 

[Jake Martinez]

Shouldn't it be an extreme improbability that any virus that managed to "thaw out" (and I'm still giggling over this) would pose any real threat to humanity?

I mean, wouldn't Darwin's theory basically dictate that if there WAS a super killer virus (like the black plague, ahem) that most of us alive today would be descendant of people who were immune, or at least resistant to it (just like... you guess it, the black plague).

As people may have noticed, I'm pointing out that we have pretty solid medical evidence that a large portion of the population, particularly in Europe (which was hit the hardest by the plague) have a mutation in their CCR-5 receptor gene which among other things makes them immune to plague pathogens and even HIV. Natural selection at work perhaps?

In any case, it seems far less scary the lede of the article would have you believe.

 

[BrokenTinker]

biological terrorism is one of the least effective means of terrorism in existence. For the resources required to steal, transport without killing your own allies while keeping it alive, and deploy such a weapon (It turns out spreading most viruses deliberately is surprisingly hard) a terrorist could build a far more effective chemical weapon, or just a really really big conventional bomb that has a vastly higher chance of actually killing what it's aimed at without the constant risk of infecting your own side.

Even if someone became determined to commit an act of biological warfare they wouldn't try to steal that one, we don't even know if it's capable of harming humans. If one were determined to commit such an act there are countless other diseases currently stored that definitely can harm humans that could've been stolen (For a given definition of 'could've', they're guarded by a hell of a lot more than a 'keep out' sign)

True, true ... I was just worried because of a real life incident.

With Ebola on the run in Africa, there was a case where gorilla soldiers would invade a hospital and steal Ebola patient's blankets and what not. They used this to switch their rival's blankets with the infected one. Not sure if it was effective, but hearing about such actions is quite terrifying. Then again to risk getting Ebola yourself just to kill people is pretty insane overall.

Nothing new, the british gave the native infected blankets. The french were the ones on the straight and narrow. (during the British North America/French colony tussle).


As for this virus, I'm pretty sure our body would've some genetic memory about it, the question is if it is even intact with the time difference or if our immune system even works the same way. We have an "imprinting" system if you will for producing antigen, I agree with the scientists though, we simply don't know, so testing it is actually a really good idea.

 

[Kaymish]

when i read the headline i thought of the macrovirus from Startrek Voyager

 

[BiscuitWheels]

And for their next project, scientists are going to build giant robots that get angry easily.

 

[GrumbleGrump]

500 genes?! What the fuck do you want so many genes, sibericum?!

Anyway, it's nice to see that they're testing its infectious capabilities, although I wonder if it's even capable if infecting humans.

 

[Qizx]

Shouldn't it be an extreme improbability that any virus that managed to "thaw out" (and I'm still giggling over this) would pose any real threat to humanity?

I mean, wouldn't Darwin's theory basically dictate that if there WAS a super killer virus (like the black plague, ahem) that most of us alive today would be descendant of people who were immune, or at least resistant to it (just like... you guess it, the black plague).

As people may have noticed, I'm pointing out that we have pretty solid medical evidence that a large portion of the population, particularly in Europe (which was hit the hardest by the plague) have a mutation in their CCR-5 receptor gene which among other things makes them immune to plague pathogens and even HIV. Natural selection at work perhaps?

In any case, it seems far less scary the lede of the article would have you believe.

Actually no, since this virus would have been dormant for over 30,000 years that's a lot of time for people to lose that mutation that may have saved them. The reason a significant number of humans still have plague resistance is that it was extremely recent in terms of evolutionary time. We may still have the genes which protect us from that virus but they may not be "turned on" anymore, or may be non functioning anymore (due to mutations which have no ill effect when the virus is not present).

I do completely agree though that the article title is grossly misleading and that what these scientists are doing isn't "for shits and giggles." They're doing something for a very valid reason, and may help prevent deaths. Or maybe they won't! Maybe they're actually working on a super virus that can turn people into slaves... I'm onto you France, think you can fool me with your delicious baguettes?

 

[Drejer43]

But if these giant viruses aren't around today then maybe that because a virus with a lot of genes are simply ineffective as a virus? Maybe they mutate to slowly or something

 

[Strazdas]

True, true ... I was just worried because of a real life incident.

With Ebola on the run in Africa, there was a case where gorilla soldiers would invade a hospital and steal Ebola patient's blankets and what not. They used this to switch their rival's blankets with the infected one. Not sure if it was effective, but hearing about such actions is quite terrifying. Then again to risk getting Ebola yourself just to kill people is pretty insane overall.

Not sure how much truth in that incident but its not effective. you cannot get infected with ebola this way. you need a body liquid transfer from infected patient to uninefected one. The only way this would work is if the blanked was soaked in patients blood and the virus would survive the journey on the blanked and the enemy would have open wounds and sleep naked. the ones that stole probably had a higher risk due to being so close to the actual source.

Ebola is really a hype virus. and by that i mean it is hyped far beyond its capabilities or damage. Even if we assume an outbreak in US or europe, it would die out very quickly. Our living conditions are way too sterile for it. This is why it only really survives in Africa where they have things like a tradition to touch the dead by the entire tribe. Ebola mortality, death rate and actual infections make it but a dot compared to things like black plague.