12 thousand unknown viruses were discovered under the Pacific Ocean

In the depths of the Pacific Ocean, thousands of unknown viruses are hidden; But now the treasure that the mining companies have gone to to extract the metals, may destroy the home of these invisible creatures. The post 12,000 unknown viruses discovered under the Pacific Ocean appeared first on Safir Arjan.

According to Ambassador Arjan, researchers have identified nearly 12,000 types of viruses in the depths of the Pacific Ocean, more than 99% of which were unknown to science. These viruses live in an area that is the target of seabed mining companies due to its rich deposits of metals. Scientists warn that industrial extraction of these metals could disrupt the delicate ecosystem of the deep ocean and harm its unknown viral communities. This research was published in "Nature Communications" magazine on 22 Mehr 1405.

This survey was conducted in the Clarion-Clipperton area in the Pacific Ocean; An area between Mexico and Hawaii that is at a maximum depth of 6,000 meters and millions of metal masses the size of potatoes are scattered in its bed. The region is one of the world's largest areas for deep-sea mineral exploration, and its metal deposits, including cobalt, nickel and manganese, are important for the production of electric vehicle batteries.

By examining more than 60 seabed sediment samples, researchers based in China identified 11,742 types of viruses, 11,662 of which were completely new and unknown. The genetic comparison also showed that only about 4% of the protein clusters of these viruses correspond to the information available in the global databases.

Contrary to what their name might suggest, these viruses pose almost no threat to human health, and most of them infect bacteria. However, they play an important role in maintaining the biological balance of the deep sea; They help cycle essential materials such as carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, and sulfur by regulating microbial populations and breaking down organic matter.

Some of these viruses also help microbes to resist high concentrations of toxic metals by transferring genes. For this reason, these viral communities are an important part of the complex network of life on the seabed; A dark and food-poor environment that scientists still do not fully understand.

Scientists warn that the activity of mining machinery on the seabed can disrupt these biological networks. The upwelling of large volumes of sediment may kill the bacteria that host these viruses and stop essential nutrient cycles; An event that will have wider consequences for the ocean ecosystem.

So far, the International Seabed Organization has issued 17 exploration permits in the Clarion-Clipperton region, five of which are in China's hands. As the global demand for metals used in batteries increases, the possibility of commercial mining also increases. The researchers say that it is important to identify these viruses before the start of mining operations, because the new findings can be the basis for assessing the environmental effects of future activities.