Melting ice in Antarctica reveals mutated bacteria.

Throughout history humans has stood side by side with bacteria and viruses. From the bubonic plague to smallpox, we have evolved to resist them, and in response they have developed new ways of infecting us. It has been well over a century when the first antibiotic was developed and ever since then bacteria have responded by mutating their antibiotic resistance. It is a never ending battle because of the time we have conducting clinical trials of new medicines, scientist sometimes discover new bacteria. When an antibiotic drug has no longer any effect on certain type of bacteria that bacterium is said to be antibiotic resistant.

So what would happen if we were suddenly exposed to deadly bacteria and viruses that have been absent for thousands of years, or that we have never met before? We may soon find out. Climate change is melting permafrost soils that have been frozen for thousands of years, and as the soils melt they are releasing ancient viruses and bacteria that are springing back to life. As the Earth warms, more permafrost will melt. Under normal circumstances, superficial permafrost layers that are about 50cm deep melt every summer. But now global warming is gradually exposing older permafrost layers.

A new study revealed that an increase in temperatures is directly related to an increase in antibiotic resistance in common bacterial strains. The research states that a 10 degree temperature increase is associated with a 4.2% chance of E. Coli bacteria becoming antibiotic resistant, which could lead to UTIs being resistant to pharmaceutical medicines. Scientists now believe that this relation between bacteria and temperature is mutating over time. With more and more cities becoming heavily populated, it is becoming easier to for bacteria to transfer between people. Researchers have concluded that overly prescribed medications are actually creating more resistant bacteria and that up to 50% of all antibiotic prescriptions are really unnecessary or not as effective. "Following our work and that of others, there is now a non-zero probability that pathogenic microbes could be revived, and infect us, how likely that is is not known, but it's a possibility. It could be bacteria that are curable with antibiotics, or resistant bacteria, or a virus. If the pathogen hasn't been in contact with humans for a long time, then our immune system would not be prepared. So yes, that could be dangerous." - Jean-Michel Claverie, Evolutionary Biologist.