A while ago, I mentioned a virus that infects a fungus and in turn allows a grass to live in hot soils. Recently, scientists discovered a 21-gene virus that infects larger viruses. The virus, called ‘Sputnik,’ infects a larger virus which in turn infects amoebas.
It just goes to show how complex the lives of microscopic organisms are. It also adds additional fuel to the debate about whether viruses themselves are actually alive, or whether they can only be considered alive after they have been incorporated into the nucleus of a host cell.
Author: Milan
In the spring of 2005, I graduated from the University of British Columbia with a degree in International Relations and a general focus in the area of environmental politics. In the fall of 2005, I began reading for an M.Phil in IR at Wadham College, Oxford.
Outside school, I am very interested in photography, writing, and the outdoors. I am writing this blog to keep in touch with friends and family around the world, provide a more personal view of graduate student life in Oxford, and pass on some lessons I've learned here.
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