French Scientists Revive Enormous 30,000-Year-Old Virus Because Why Not

Mad scientists in France saw no real issue with awakening a 30,000-year-old virus from Siberian permafrost this week, even when they admitted that after it thawed, it became infectious once again. Sounds very chill.

Not only is the virus infectious, it's also huge. Still, nothing to see here.



Though the scientists behind the study claim this isn't something worth reacting to, that it's no big deal, don't panic, it's mostly because we apparently have other, bigger issues to absolutely lose our heads over.

Professor Jean-Michel Claverie of the University of Aix-Marseille in all likelihood was smoking a chocolate cigarette when he told the BBC:



"If it is true that these viruses survive in the same way those amoeba viruses survive, then smallpox is not eradicated from the planet - only the surface," he said.

Chalk it up to global warming. The team working near the East Siberian Sea worried that the continual thawing of permafrost could unleash a number more viruses. So let's dial that one back a smidge.

[Image via BBC]