Why would a man of sound mind and body decide
to inject himself with a 3 and a half million year old virus that he found in the Siberian
mountains? Not any man, but a man of science and understanding? One day, this insane academic decided to load
up a syringe of the ancient bacteria and inject himself with it. Why? What would compel such a person to do such
a thing? Well, the scientist in question, Anatoli Brouchkov,
figured that whatever had kept those bacteria alive for 3 and a half million years might
also keep human life alive just as long. And since 2009, his plan has succeeded. And what’s more, Brouchkov has been in the
best health he has ever been in.. Today, we look deep into the science behind
that old virus in order to find out exactly what is going on, in this episode of The Infographics
Show – Why Would a Scientist Inject Himself with a 3.5-Million-Year-Old Bacteria. Anatoli Brouchkov, head of the Geocryology
Department at Moscow State University, discovered the bacteria in 2009. The virus was embedded in an ancient permafrost
site called Mammoth Mountain in the Sakha Republic, otherwise known as the Yakutia region
in Siberia. A similar bacterium was found by scientist
Vladimir Repin in the brain of an ice-preserved woolly mammoth. Although the virus was trapped in the ice,
it was still alive after all those years, and this is of interest to scientists. What has kept it alive for so long? Brouchkov and his team were determined to
find out. Experiments began. Mice injected with Bacillus F were able to
reproduce at an age older than mice typically reproduce, suggesting that Bacillus F may
have potential as a longevity serum. But the experiments didn’t stop with pregnant
granny rodents. Oh no, Brouchkov also experimented with fruit
flies with positive results. Even plants exposed to the bacteria thrived
for an unusually long length of time. Brouchkov confirmed in an interview for Russian
TV that he need to extend the experiment to human subjects - namely himself. Since injecting himself with the virus, his
general health and well-being have improved dramatically. “I’ve started to work longer,” he said,
“I’ve never had a flu for the last two years. After successful experiments on mice and fruit
flies, I thought it would be interesting to try the inactivated bacterial culture.” The scientist continued, “The permafrost
is thawing, and I guess these bacteria get into the environment, into the water, so the
local population, the Yakut people, in fact, for a long time are getting these cells with
water, and even seem to live longer than some other nations. So there was no danger for me. But we do not know how it works. In fact, we do not know exactly how Aspirin
works, for example, but it does. The same is true here: we cannot understand
the mechanism, but we see the impact. Perhaps there were some side-effects, but
there should be some special medical equipment to spot them. Of course, such experiments need to be conducted
in clinic, with the special equipment and statistics. Then we could say clearly about all the effects. If we find how the bacteria stay alive, we
probably would be able to find a tool to extend our own lives.” Yakutsk epidemiologist Dr. Viktor Chernyavsky
added, “The bacteria gives out biologically active substances throughout its life, which
activates the immune status of experimental animals. If the same substance were to be given to
people, it could cause a significant improvement in their health, leading to the discovery
of an ‘elixir of life.’” So by making himself the human guinea pig
in this experiment, Brouchkov hopes to find out more about longevity. And who knows, in the process, he may end
up becoming one of the oldest scientists himself. Three different strains of bacteria exist
in the permafrost, and Brouchkov is determined to find out how the bacteria protect themselves
against cell damage. Brouchkov speculates that immortal bacteria
probably exist somewhere in the world and that such bacteria protect themselves from
dying. Somewhere within the virus, he feels, the
secret must be hidden. His team has completed deciphering the Bacillus
F DNA but now faces the complicated task of figuring out which genes are responsible for
the longevity of the virus. The isolation of this gene would be the key
to unlocking the puzzle perhaps to eternal life. But even if he does not find the secret of
everlasting life, Brouchkov has stumbled into a remarkable new field. Discovering the mechanism behind the vitality
of the virus could have significant health implications for humankind. “If we can find how the bacteria stays alive,
then we will be able to find the cure to prolong our own life,” Brouchkov concluded. Brouchkov isn’t the only scientist experimenting
with ancient bacteria. For years, scientists have been examining
the bacteria from the Siberian Mountains and beyond. There’s still much to learn about viruses
and the hundreds of protein-encoding genes. Scientists are always looking to nature for
clues as to how to improve human health. In February 2018, an article published by
the New Atlas magazine looked at the mole rat. This mammal lives well into its 30s and is
pretty much immune to all types of cancer and can do without oxygen for long lengths
of time. Perhaps if scientists can pull apart the cell
structure of this mammal a secret to its longevity may be unraveled. There are bound to be, as Brouchkov suggests,
many more secrets out there in nature. These secrets may lead to humankind living
a much longer and healthier life. What’s the strangest and most unlikely cure
that you have heard of? Are there alternative treatments for cancer
that actually work? Does the secret to longevity exist in a frozen
virus or in a ground-dwelling rodent? Let us know in the comments! Also, be sure to watch our other video called
Horrible Things That Will Happen in 2019. Thanks for watching, and as always, don't
forget to like, share and subscribe. See you next time!
