title: Python threads garbage collection
body: <p>Is a running thread eligable for garbage collection if the thread object is reasigned? For example:</p>
  
  <pre><code>class A(threading.Thread)
      def run():
          while True:
              #Do stuff
  
  
  a = A()
  a.start()
  time.sleep(60)
  a = A()
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>at this point, even though thread A is still doing stuff, can the interpreter destroy the original A() thread? If it does, is there a way to prevent this from happening?</p>