NPR: Dawn of the Dead Bacteria

Dawn of the Dead Bacteria

Isn't this the way horror films start?

Scientists in New Jersey have taken bacteria from 8-million-year-old polar ice and brought it back to life. The blob was last seen approaching Manhattan. Just joking. The bacteria are in a lab. But it could mean that as global warming melts ancient ice around the world, some of our old bacteriological friends could return to haunt us. The authors of the research say that glaciers and polar caps can be considered "gene popsicles." Yum.

The folks at the New Scientist blog say it's probably not worth worrying about because the process has been going on for billions of years and the bugs are unlikely to cause human disease. Besides, the old bacteria grow really, really slowly. You could definitely outrun them.

There are some questions about the research. It is apparently very easy to contaminate ice samples with younger bacteria. More testing will need to be done to make sure the Lazarus cells are really 8 million years old and not trying to pass off some fake ID.

- Robert Smith

1:10 PM ET | 08- 7-2007 | permalink

Comments

BTW and FYI, the scientists in New Jersey are all pod people.

Sent by Frosty Bochulism | 2:27 PM ET | 08-07-2007

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