Could Hacking Viruses Help Us Beat Climate Change?

Climate change is a concern that plenty of scientists are eager to try and tackle. The sooner we can find ways to keep things under control, the less devastation we’ll experience in years to come. We’ve already seen how intense the seasons are becoming, with heatwaves and blizzards causing major issues across the world. This sort of thing is only likely to continue and worsen if more isn’t done to control the warming of the Earth.

Thankfully, scientists may have unearthed a new solution outside of reducing waste and carbon emissions. There are apparently viruses that could help to trap pollutants, reducing the damage being done to the atmosphere. Could hacking viruses help us beat climate change? It’s certainly what so many people are hoping for.

Viruses in ocean water and Arctic ice could potentially trap pollutants

Usually, we think of viruses as a bad thing. However, according to an Ohio State University press release, they could have some advantages for the planet. Scientists have reportedly identified viruses in ocean water and Arctic ice that may be able to contain carbon emissions. By trapping these pollutants, the viruses will reduce the amount that reaches the atmosphere and damage this protective layer around the Earth. Apparently, they would either contain carbon within seawater or reduce the amount of methane escaping from melting permafrost, ensuring a positive step forward for the planet. This discovery reportedly stems from research done back in 2016, where scientists identified viruses facilitating the ocean’s carbon-sinking effect.

Scientists are now looking to hack the ocean’s biome to help reduce climate change

Through artificial intelligence modeling and genome sequencing, the scientists behind this breakthrough are seeking to find viruses that possess an “underwater carbon metabolism.” So far, Matthew Sullivan and his colleagues have identified over 120 of these, which is more than the team reportedly anticipated. Given what they’re looking to achieve, though, a number this size is something to be optimistic about. Now, they’re eager to see if they can engineer the ocean’s biome to try and make waves in reducing climate change, and they’re using an AI system to do it. The community metabolic modeling system will supposedly not only seek to make this possible but also identify any consequences that might stem from biohacking the planet’s oceans. While there are risks, though, a lot of good could also come out of such hacking. It could even pave the way for bio-engineering the human microbiome, resulting in positive changes for things like burn injuries and children born to mothers with the human immunodeficiency virus.

Could hacking viruses help us beat climate change? If scientists are able to engineer these microbiomes to trap pollutants, it could make a significant difference to the planet’s future. Before we get too excited, though, we should wait to see what progress they make and whether any notable risks crop up that might prove an issue.