Unveiling Ancient Life: Microorganisms in Melting Glaciers in Swiss Alps

This episode takes listeners to the Rhone glacier in the Alps, which is rapidly melting and releasing ancient microorganisms. These microorganisms, which have been trapped in the ice for thousands of years, are now being studied by scientists from the Swiss Federal Research Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape (WSL).

Journalists Céline Stegmüller and Luigi Jorio join the researchers on the glacier to observe their methods of collecting and analyzing these microorganisms. The team, led by Beat Frey, uses custom-made equipment to filter meltwater and capture bacteria, fungi, and viruses. The goal is to understand the diversity and potential applications of these microorganisms, which could include producing antibiotics or degrading plastics.

Read more about this story or other science stories from Switzerland please visit www.swissinfo.ch/science.

Journalists: Luigi Jorio & Céline Stegmüller
Host: Jo Fahy
Audio editor: Michele Andina
Distribution and Marketing: Xin Zhang 

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SWI swissinfo.ch is a public service media company based in Bern, Switzerland.