Prehistory goes viral

A recent article in livescience described how scientists have unearthed from permafrost in Siberia a gigantic, unknown virus from roughly 30,000 years ago.  The article suggests that through global climate change, as ice sheets melt, previously frozen viruses from tens of thousands of years ago can be resurrected and possibly infect humans who may not have immunities to these pathogens anymore.  While the chances of such a virus infecting humans and causing a significant health crisis are remote, one scientist states that “There is now a non-zero probability that the pathogenic microbes that bothered [ancient human populations] could be revived, and most likely infect us as well” (Ghose, 2014)

Guillen (2001) says that globalization “entails a ‘compression’ of space and time.  In this instance, space is the ability for the virus to travel around the globe quickly through the use of modern transportation.  Time is compressed through the release of pathogens from thousands of years ago.  In both these cases, human technology has contributed to the potential effects on the world at large.

Giddens (2000) describes two kinds of risk: external and manufactured.  External risks are those events that happen that are beyond human control.  Manufactured risks are ones that are a result of human innovation and intervention.  This resurrected virus is a combination of both risks.  As a product of nature and evolution, viruses are an external risk.  However, their transmission is accelerated through the presence of modern technology both in this case is being resurrected through global climate change.

Global risk, particularly in reference to climate change, is future facing.  Scientists, politicians, environmentalists and more all assess risk in terms of how our present and near future will affect our long-term future.  It may come as a surprise to many that one of the great risks might be in our past.

References

Ghose, T. (2014, March). Giant Virus Resurrected from Permafrost After 30,000 Years.  http://www.livescience.com/43800-giant-virus-found-permafrost.html.

Giddens, A. (2000). Runaway World: How globalization is reshaping our lives. New York: Routledge. (selected chapters).

Guillen, M.F. (2001). Is globalization civilizing, destructive or feeble? A critique of five key debates in the social science literature.  Annual Review of Sociology, 27, 235-60.