The oldest giant viruses have been discovered in Yellowstone springs

Giant viruses have been found in Yellowstone springs. Perhaps analyzing them will shed light on how life began on the early Earth.

The formation of these geothermal springs was thought to have occurred about 15 millennia ago. However, as it turned out, it actually happened 1.5 billion years ago.

Specialists examined deoxyribonucleic acid from Lemonade Creek, a hot acidic spring in Yellowstone, where the temperature is 43 °C. According to the results, it contained a sequence of archaea, algae and microbes that included 3,700 viruses. 2/3 of them belonged to the giant ones.