Thawing permafrost due to global warming could release ancient pathogens. Click to read more. Ancient pathogens, dating back thousands or millions of years ago, stuck in ice and coming back to life have been a subject of science fiction for a long time.
New study have revealed that thawing of permafrost as a result of climate change, exposes Arctic populations to high concentrations of radon which can cause lung cancer. Permafrost has historically been acting as a barrier that prevents the dangers of radon gas.
According to a comprehensive scientific review, the thawing of Arctic permafrost, which contains billions of tons of greenhouse gases, threatens not only the region's crucial infrastructure but life all over the planet. Almost 70% of the roads, pipelines, communities, and industries built on the region's softening ground will be very susceptible to serious damage by mid-century.
Permafrost degradation in Arctic Alaska is primarily caused by climate change, but 70 years of data reveal that tundra fires are speeding up this decline, contributing to a phenomenon referred to as "thermokarst," the sudden collapse of ice-rich permafrost due to melting.