21 August 2017
Antarctic mystery microbe could tell us where viruses came from
By Michael Marshall
A peculiar Antarctic microbe may offer a clue to one of the biggest mysteries in evolution: the origin of viruses.
The microorganism is host to a fragment of DNA that can build a capsule around itself. It may help solve the mystery of how viruses first arose.
Viruses are not like other life forms. Arguably, they are not alive at all. All other living things are made of cells: squashy bags filled with the other essential molecules of life. Cells are intricate machines that can feed and reproduce independently.
https://www.newscientist.com/article/2144518-antarctic-mystery-microbe-could-tell-us-where-viruses-came-from/
