Could thawing permafrost unleash long-gone deadly viruses?

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In the remote town of Longyearbyen, in Norway’s Arctic region, the ground is permanently frozen. As temperatures rise, the thawing permafrost could open a Pandora's box, with unpredictable consequences. The Down to Earth team reports.
It may look pristine and barren, but the permafrost is not void of life. On the contrary, there is a world of organisms living in it. The permafrost is, in fact, a massive freezer. It’s cold, dark, and there’s not much oxygen. In other words, it's the ideal place for bacteria and viruses to survive intact for thousands of years. But the permafrost may not remain frozen for much longer. According to scientists, the Arctic soil’s temperature has already increased by up to one degree Celsius.
So could thawing permafrost unleash long-gone deadly viruses? And how dangerous could this be? The Down to Earth team travelled to the town to Longyearbyen in Norway to find out.
This report was produced with the support of Norwegian.

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[maunster]

This covid-19 is kiddies' play in comparison to what's coming.

[Josue-dzis]

We’re ignoring the biggest problems :)

[ia]

Imagine that, in a warmer world, the tropics will become increasingly uninhabitable and this will lead to people moving north. More people in northern latitudes and more exposure to these organisms.

[markd]

Mother Nature's remedy for the overdue extinction of a terrestrial pest...human

[robertfinck]

to unthaw means to freeze. To thaw means to unfreeze

[stumilbrn]

See you soon Mary Ann. Its been a couple of years. No frozen bug is stopping me visiting

[Healitnow]

This is our tipping point. We reach a peak in knowledge and population and learn, just in time to be too late to stop the problems we have already created from before we understood. Now starvation and other problems of massive proportions will destroy a lot of the planet. Those that survive will be street people that will eat or drink anything. They will have to live in caves as civilization is destroyed. They will loose a lot of human knowledge, and the earth will start over again. One day in the future scientists will find our cave drawings, and stone tools, but with some advanced technology there that does not fit. They will develop theories on how this could be.The answer of course will come as their society regains both intellect and the ability to destroy, all just in time to do the same all over again. Lets wake up now, as it is already almost too late.
People there are proven settlements of humans, up too hundreds of thousands of years apart, with no explanation of why. Well lets look at the earths history between these times and find out. We might find we are not the only human civilization that has suffered this fate, but we have two chances to be the last. One we learn, and the other is extinction.

[pascalw.paradis]

She said "unthawed", ,,, that means to freeze.

[riggsferrig]

They're even had more in deeper inside iceberg and when weather can bring them alive again..mean Tempetature change many thing as you not expected

[michaelwoodsmccausland]

We shall adapt. Yes the Collective Panic Button must be pushed. Look when this was brought out!
MWM

[michaelwoodsmccausland]

It’s time to boost the Endo Cannabinol System with Indigenous Treatment Modalities.

[northpole]

He said dangerous when rocks come down and hit graves? I don't think the occupants need not worry...

[ambujkn]

All the more reason to be healthy, eat healthy and have a strong immune system to combat the ancient microbes.

[pauloj.]

hope theres a study on this Covid19 is just the tip of the bigger picture

[toonceshere]

What scientific methods did these two people use to determine how this specific landslide (avalanche or mudslide) is caused by Global Warming? Please provide proof and info on methodology used to determine which specific landslides are caused by natural forces (gravity, rain, wind, time, erosion, etc.) and which are not. Thanks.