How do you study an extinct virus? They don't leave fossils behind! But some of them have left their DNA in other living things, including humans.
Find out more about paleovirology, the study of extinct viruses, at Small Things Considered. Link -via Boing Boing
Over the expanse of evolutionary time, the genomes of virtually every animal species have become riddled with these proviral sequences, the so-called endogenous retroviruses (ERVs). Most ERV sequences have been degraded by the accumulation of mutations but are still recognizable as retroviral in origin. The human genome alone contains hundreds of thousands of HERVs (Human ERVs), outnumbering our genes. Extrapolate these numbers across the entirety of the animal kingdom, and collectively ERV loci may well comprise a “fossil” collection numbering in the hundreds of millions of specimens.
Find out more about paleovirology, the study of extinct viruses, at Small Things Considered. Link -via Boing Boing
Comments (2)
On one hand, the subject is fascinating. On the other hand, I majored in Biochemistry and had a tough time getting through the article.
Schroendinger Bet XL ,
Craig Clayton
Guessing it is for a rimmed cartridge, but i couldn’t determine the cartridge size or the caliber..
i wonder if it uses a moving barrel or a moving chamber...
I am really looking forward to see the whole gun, or the fact that i misinterpreted all the components of this technical device...
Battle Damage
size M black
Busted - XL
Wrong guess: It's a ghostbusters device to send the unspeakable ones (i.e. Michael Bolton) to R'lyeh.
This is not a drill (XXL)
Large myth busters busted.
I Heart Maths (UK) 3XL
I Make My Own Dance Moves, 2xl
I make my own dance moves Xlarge
Schroendinger Bet XL
Craig Clayton
Schroendinger bet Xl
Craig Clayton
Schroendinger Bet XL
Craig Clayton
Also, Craig is right, top bit is a bolt, bottom bit holds a spool of line, use it to launch out said line.
The origami of the species XL
Lesser of Two Weevils Large
..look out schrodinger's cat...
Unicorn Poop Large, Navy
Busted! T-Shirt Medium (please disregard previous post, as I am an idiot)
Idiot proof, med.
Battle Damage, m.
Seqret Cat XL
Craig Clayton
XL Twaggies logo
A.S.A.P.F.
large
Look Out Schrodinger's Cat, It's a Trap!
Large
PB Jellyfish, Ladies M, Serene Green