Viruses: Intimate Invaders av Van G. Wilson

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<b>1. The Question of Life</b><p>"It''s alive! It''s alive!" - Mel Brook''s Young Frankenstein</p><p>An introduction to viruses through some examples that illustrate the size, quantity, and diversity of viruses on earth, followed by a short history of the discovery of viruses. The chapter focuses on the concepts that define life through an examination of animals, plants, and single-cell organisms. These basic features of living organisms are then related to viruses to demonstrate that viruses fail most of the definitions of life and act instead as unique, self-replicating nano-machines.</p><p><b>1.1. Weird Facts and Big Numbers</b></p><p>A playful discussion of the sizes and numbers of viruses in our world</p><p><b>1.2. From Ignorance to Fascination</b></p><p>A brief history of the discovery of viruses</p><p><b>1.3. A Biological Primer - Multicellular Organisms</b></p><p>The biological, functional, and genetic characteristics that define plants and animals</p><p><b>1.4. Smaller, but St