Reacquaint Virus, This Strange Little Friend: 9 Misunderstandings About Virus

This book gives us a new understanding of virus. 

From the biological characteristics of virus, to the methods of human beings against virus, to the entangled and secret relationship between virus and human beings, I will use scientific consensus and broad vision to help you really understand virus.

0. Virus, a strange little companion.

In 2020, there seems to be a not-so-wonderful beginning. 

A sudden COVID-19 epidemic pushed the "virus" in front of everyone. 

We have to put on masks carefully, stay at home honestly, and genuinely feel "the horror of virus, the fragility of human beings, and the impermanence of life." 

From January to March 2020, before the epidemic was greatly brought under control, just this little novel coronavirus seemed to block all ways for humankind to survive. 

It seems to be everywhere, even on elevator buttons and doorknobs; it seems to mutate fast, and it is often said in the news that it has mutated again; 

it also appears to be challenging to protect, and it is said that it can be spread through droplets, feces to mouths, and even aerosols; 

at the same time, there is no vaccine, no specific medicine, and it seems that if you are infected, you can only accept your fate. 

As a result, in the eyes of many people, virus has become an evil thing; 

Many people on the Internet have called:

 "to prevent virus in their bodies from invading human beings, we must eliminate  all bats around the city." 

All kinds of information are coming everywhere, and of course, I understand your helplessness and panic. 

But a large amount of information in this is indeed a distortion, simplification, and misunderstanding for virus. 

Many people's understanding of virus is too one-sided. 

As a biologist, I hope you can see the real face of virus instead of making misjudgments in panic. 

What does a real virus look like? 

If you use one word to describe it, I think the most appropriate thing is-a strange companion of us.

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First of all, virus is bizarre. 

Not only is it different from all other life on Earth, but even all the laws we have summed up from other life phenomena will fail when it comes to viruses. 

Give a random example, such as the way of reproduction. 

We know that reproduction is a basic feature of life. 

But the way virus propagates is particularly strange. 

All living things on Earth use DNA molecules to store their genetic information. 

When organisms reproduce, they copy a copy of the DNA molecule and pass it on to their offspring. 

Each biological individual will use its own DNA molecules to produce the corresponding RNA molecules, and then make the proteins they need. 

The transmission of genetic information from DNA to RNA and then to proteins is the so-called "Central dogma" of biology. 

But this is not the case with viruses that record and use genetic information in a variety of ways. 

Some viruses, such as smallpox, like other life on Earth, still use DNA molecules as genetic material.