Some viruses look like moon landers.
Called phages, they hijack bacteria by landing on the hapless cells and injecting them with a ream of genetic material. Then, the phages use the commandeered cells to multiply.
Similar to the new coronavirus, these phages are excellent parasites. They can be aggressive, dogged, and seem to act with purpose. Yet, many microbiologists who know viruses best say it's a stretch to call any virus truly alive. And so, they can't be killed — only disarmed, like pulling the plug on an appliance.
But today, with a rapidly spreading viral pandemic that's stirring serious unease in American emergency rooms, it doesn't really matter if a virus meets biologists' definitions of dead or alive. Whatever these entities are, they're powerful. Read more...
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via IFmashable.com
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