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Imagine a world without
colds, sniffles, raw noses, coughs, it would be magnificent
to the average person, but not to Frank Ryan. He says he
knows "that a world without viruses would not be one in
which I would care to live."
To understand what surely
seems like an odd thing to say, we should understand a few
things about a virus – but first, you're pretty awesome:
your body is made of "roughly 30 to 40 trillion cells,"
including microbes that are necessary for you to live and
thrive. That might sound like Virus Heaven but the truth is
that viruses are picky about who they inhabit. The
rhinovirus, for instance, thrives best in human nasal
linings. The polio virus exists exclusively in humans. Bats
are the natural hosts for rabies, on the other hand, and if
a dog or skunk or human gets the rabies virus, then... oops.
What we must remember,
says Ryan, is that viruses don't target us out of a sense of
anger or righteousness. They have no brains and they "are
not evil.... But they are not free to do as they please."
Their only job, if you will, is to replicate inside their
host in order to survive – which is scant comfort when
you're flat on the sofa.
Maybe this helps: there's
evidence that the presence of some viruses found in the
human body helps boost the immune system. There's also
reason to think that viruses altered the "genetic
landscape... from its very beginnings." And there's the keen
"importance of the viral contribution to the deep levels of
ecological balance..."
Viruses can be good. We
just need to remember to take precautions.
Your body aches, your head
throbs, and this book isn't going to do a darn thing to fix
any of that. Virusphere doesn't even have a list of
tips for you to use. And yet, if you wonder how in the world
this happened, it's a book you'll want.
In scientific terms,
author Frank Ryan explains where viruses evolved, their
contagiousness, and how they work. It's a complex subject
that's broken into understandable parts but this is still
not a skimmable read that you'll finish in an evening. No,
it demands that you to pay attention.
No problem: Ryan imparts a
certain excitement about those things that cause misery,
which makes this book like a peek into a hospital
laboratory, or a tour of a geneticist's workspace. Don't be
surprised, therefore, if Virusphere gives you a
teensy bit of respect for viruses, bacteria, and microbes.
Don't hesitate to put this book in your hands.
Just be sure to wash them
first. |
