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Scientists Discover 12000 Alien Viruses Deep in the Pacific Ocean
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News18•18-10-2026, 07:12
Scientists Discover 12000 Alien Viruses Deep in the Pacific Ocean
- •Researchers at Chongqing University identified 11662 new viral groups in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone of the Pacific Ocean.
- •Over 99 percent of these discovered viruses are completely unknown to science, leading researchers to call them alien viruses.
- •The samples were found at depths of up to 6000 meters in a region rich in polymetallic nodules targeted for deep-sea mining.
- •While currently not considered a direct threat to human health, these viruses play a crucial role in maintaining deep-sea ecosystems and natural cycles.
Key Questions Answered
Researchers from China's Chongqing University discovered approximately 12,000 new viral groups, referred to as alien viruses, in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone of the Pacific Ocean.
Currently, these deep-sea viruses are not considered a direct threat to human health, though they play crucial roles in marine ecosystems and natural cycles.
The seabed is covered with millions of potato-shaped polymetallic nodules containing cobalt, nickel, and manganese, which are needed to manufacture electric vehicle batteries.
