Science Magazine Podcast Hunting ancient viruses in the Arctic, and how ants build their nests to fight disease
Oct 16, 2025
Kai Kupferschmidt, a contributing correspondent for Science, shares his expedition to Svalbard, where ancient RNA viruses may be trapped in permafrost. He discusses the mysteries of RNA virus evolution and the potential dangers of thawing pathogens. Meanwhile, Nathalie Stroeymeyt, a senior lecturer in biological sciences, reveals how ants employ social distancing and redesign their nests to combat disease spread. Her intriguing findings highlight nature's public health strategies and suggest architectural lessons for humans.
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RNA Virus History Is Shockingly Short
- Current sequenced histories for human RNA viruses span only about a century, limiting evolutionary understanding.
- Extending the timeline could reveal long-term viral strategies and effects of interventions like vaccines.
Fieldwork On Svalbard Hunting Frozen RNA
- Kai accompanied researcher Sebastian K.‑S. to Svalbard to sample frozen soils near bird colonies as potential archives of ancient RNA.
- They aimed to recover environmental RNA cores preserved by permafrost for deep-time viral evidence.
Formalin Specimens Preserve Unexpected RNA
- Formalin‑fixed museum specimens can preserve RNA by halting degradation, contrary to prior assumptions.
- Sebastian Kalvaniak‑Spenser used such collections to recover measles RNA from 1912, pushing back detectable viral dates.