The fictional virus ‘mammothpox’ emerged during a World Health Organization (WHO) pandemic simulation, where researchers fell ill while studying a woolly mammoth specimen from thawing permafrost. The scenario, which warned of a potential new pandemic, involved 15 countries testing their preparedness for a fast-spreading virus with symptoms similar to Mpox and smallpox. While ‘mammothpox’ itself is not real, the simulation highlighted concerns about ancient pathogens being released due to climate change and the melting of permafrost.
