# Deadly Arctic Plagues?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deadly-arctic-plagues/850014>\
**Category:** The Quarantine Zone\
**Tags:** covid-quarantine\
**Created:** [March 22, 2020, 6:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deadly-arctic-plagues/850014 "2020-03-22T06:25:56Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Jim\_B](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jim_b/32/4338_2.png) [@Jim\_B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jim_B)\
**Post date:** [March 22, 2020, 6:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deadly-arctic-plagues/850014/1 "2020-03-22T06:25:56Z")

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I put it in the Quarantine Zone because I think we all need a little distraction from the Coronavirus. And I think I have found it.

Have any of you ever considered the deadly organisms that might be lurking in Arctic ice? It’s melting more and more every year. And as it does, it releases hidden organisms that have been dormant for millions of years. _ **Yikes!** _

What do the rest of you think of _this_ risk? And how great is it really?

:):):):):):)🙂

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**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\
**Post date:** [March 22, 2020, 11:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deadly-arctic-plagues/850014/2 "2020-03-22T11:59:23Z")

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The environment is changing, what was cold and icy is now wet and warmer, what what wet and warm is now hot and dry, what was land is now under the sea, and many other things.

This change in the environment in itself could lead to evolutionary pressure to mutate, and to have traits that were a disadvantage to become a advantage. This in itself could lead to different effects of a disease. A lot is unknown.

As for defrosting a killer bug of some sort, it sounds like a Hollywood B rated horror flick, but who knows.

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**Author:** ![Carryon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9fc29f/32.png) [@Carryon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carryon)\
**Post date:** [March 22, 2020, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deadly-arctic-plagues/850014/3 "2020-03-22T18:02:59Z")

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I would guess it would have to be something along the lines of anthrax, which I believe the record was like 50 years for existing in a spore state, then reactivating.

Though of course it’d have to be much longer.

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**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\
**Post date:** [March 22, 2020, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deadly-arctic-plagues/850014/4 "2020-03-22T18:32:21Z")

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[BBC: “There are diseases hidden in the ice, and they are waking up”](http://www.bbc.com/earth/story/20170504-there-are-diseases-hidden-in-ice-and-they-are-waking-up)

[Vox: “Melting permafrost in the Arctic is unlocking diseases and warping the landscape”](https://www.vox.com/2017/9/6/16062174/permafrost-melting)

[Documentary on dormant Antarctic pathogens](https://youtu.be/m6shktwDwzM)

Stranger