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Viruses are some of the most mysterious organisms on Earth. They’re among the world’s tiniest lifeforms, and because none can survive and reproduce without a host, some scientists have questioned whether they should even be considered living things. Now, scientists have discovered one that has no recognizable genes, making it among the strangest of all known viruses. But how many viruses do we really know? Another group has just discovered thousands of new viruses hiding out in the tissues of dozens of animals.
The finds speak to “how much we still need to understand” about viruses, says one of the researchers, Jônatas Abrahão, a virologist at the Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte.
Abrahão made his discovery while hunting down giant viruses. These microbes—some the size of bacteria—were first discovered in amoebae in 2003. In a local artificial lake, he and his colleagues found not only new giant viruses, but also a virus that—because of its small size—was unlike most that infect in amoebae. They named it Yaravirus. (Yara is the “mother of waters” according to Indigenous Tupi-Guarani mythology.)
Study
As per a newly published study researchers have found around 2500 circular viruses and among them, 600 viruses are new to the science. But it is still not clear that if any of these come in the contact with human what will happen.
As per Buck, this newly published data should allow scientists as well as doctors to start making those connections. In addition to that, Abrahão said, the approach is a very important tool "To learn the distribution of hundreds or thousands of viral genomes."
Throughout history, humans have existed side-by-side with bacteria and viruses. From the bubonic plague to smallpox, we have evolved to resist them, and in response they have developed new ways of infecting us.
We have had antibiotics for almost a century, ever since Alexander Fleming discovered penicillin. In response, bacteria have responded by evolving antibiotic resistance. The battle is endless: because we spend so much time with pathogens, we sometimes develop a kind of natural stalemate.
However, what would happen if we were suddenly exposed to deadly bacteria and viruses that have been absent for thousands of years, or that we have never met before?
A deadly virus is rapidly spreading among marine mammals in the Arctic. In a new study published Wednesday in the journal Nature, scientists have found a link between the disease and melting sea ice...
originally posted by: LookingAtMars
a reply to: Mateo96
I am sure some "die". They really are not alive so they can't really die, it's more like some don't reanimate.
It is a pretty good bet that there are still virus "sleeping" on Earth from the dinosaur-era.
Also...if they do not live...then why the preoccupation...with reproduction
originally posted by: CrazeeWorld777
a reply to: LookingAtMars
many could have come from outer space on space rock sent here by aliens to destroy the human race!
In essence...these hijacked cells become the eggs of the virus...the virus totally rewrites the genetic structure of the cell/egg/host... Re-writes...the genetic code...