Whether discussing the common cold and flu, littleknown viruses that attack bacteria or protect oceans, or the worlds viral future as seen through our encounters with hiv. Most people just know them as the cause of suffering around the world, from the aids epidemic to the common cold. Smith for stat ali khodadoust, an ophthalmologist in connecticut, earned a place in medical history after having 100 million viruses placed inside his chest. We are most familiar with the viruses that give us colds or the flu, but viruses also cause a vast range of other. A bacterial mechanism of defense that places small memory pieces of phage dna into a special section of its own dna in order to reproduce tiny rna interference pieces that mark new identical phage dna for destruction. A planet of viruses book by carl zimmer thriftbooks. It was published by university of chicago press and has a total of 109 pages in the book. Carl zimmer is one of the best science writers we have today. A planet of viruses by carl zimmer books the guardian. Guidelines on establishment of virology laboratory in. A planet of viruses is an important primer on the viruses living within and around all of ussometimes funny, other times shocking, and always accessible. Carl zimmer university of chicago press chicago, illinois, usa.
We are most familiar with the viruses that give us colds or the flu, but viruses also cause a vast range of other diseases, including one disorder that makes people sprout branchlike growths as if they were trees. Buy a cheap copy of a planet of viruses book by carl zimmer. In a place in which there are enormous crystals but little apparent life, he shows that samples of the water taken in 2009 revealed the presence of millions. About the author carl zimmer is a columnist for the new york times, writes for national geographic and other magazines, and is the author of thirteen books, including parasite rex, soul made flesh, and microcosm. Youll discover how our understanding of these tiny, abundant organisms has evolved over time and how our lives are influenced by them, from their power to kill to their protective properties. A virus, fished out of a lake, may have saved a mans life and advanced science steven g.
Second edition, carl zimmer is published by university of chicago press. Each of the chapters spotlights a specific strain or type of virus which. While the book is a compilation of wellconnected short essays, a format that suits the material well. Whether hes exploring how viruses come to america or picking apart the surprisingly complicated common cold, zimmer s. A planet of viruses is an important primer on the viruses living within and around all of us sometimes funny, other times shocking, and always accessible.
The nature of viruses is discussed and the difference between a virus and a virus particle is emphasized. Whether discussing the common cold and flu, littleknown viruses that attack bacteria or protect oceans, or the worlds. A major determinant of this specificity is the difference in cell receptor binding requirements of the ha molecule, and this is determined by differing conformations of carbohydrate nacetylneuraminic acid residues on cell surfaces in different species. Viruses of relevance to dentistry pocket dentistry. Buy a planet of viruses by carl zimmer online at alibris. A planet of viruses by carl zimmer a planet of viruses 2011 takes you on a whirlwind tour into the hidden world of viruses. We are most familiar with the viruses that give us colds or the flu, but viruses also cause a vast range of other diseases, including one disorder that makes people sprout branchlike. Most plant viruses with rodshaped particles are found in the six genera that form the virgaviridae family with approximately half of all the definitive species in the tobamovirus genus. Hep d is incapable of completing a round of infection in a cell by itself, it requires some hep b genes to do so. On page 6, carl zimmer ends his introduction by saying this is a planet of viruses. A planet of viruses, 2012, 109 pages, carl zimmer, 0226983366, 9780226983363, university of chicago press, 2012.
Viruses are the smallest living things known to science, yet they hold the entire planet in their sway. In fact, they outnumber all other residents of the. My friend karim and myself, have had the privilege of translating carl zimmers latest book into french, that is, the second edition of a planet of viruses. Hepadnaviruses have small, enveloped, spherical virions virus particles that are about 4048 nm 1 nm 10. The number of copies of the virus carried in someones blood can vary. The title of this book is a planet of viruses and it was written by carl zimmer. Subscribe to fridays elk, zimmer s email newsletter, for updates on books, talks and other news. Carl zimmer explores the weird lives of viruses in his book a planet of viruses, science writer carl zimmer catalogs a menagerie of viruses, from the. There are several categories of computer viruses and malicious programs. The category virus species is defined as a cluster class and the task of defining a. Plant viruses that form rigid, rodshaped particles are found in eight genera.
Giant viruses may play an intriguing role in evolution of. The powers, perversions, and potential of heredity. Carl zimmer planet of viruses in english podcast science. Lancet infectious diseases lancet infectious diseases. Science news was founded in 1921 as an independent, nonprofit source of accurate information on the latest news of science, medicine and technology. It would be a huge pile, but human viruses would make up only a tiny fraction of it. We are most familiar with the viruses that give us colds or.
The washington post viruses are the smallest living things known to science, and yet they hold the entire planet in their sway. Here carl zimmer, popular science writer and author of discover magazine’s awardwinning blog the loom, presents the latest research on how viruses hold sway over our lives and. Carl zimmer is an awardwinning new york times columnist and the author of books about science. A planet of viruses is carl zimmers eyeopening look at the hidden world of viruses. Has a planet of viruses by carl zimmer been sitting on your reading list. A virus may have influenced the evolution of multicellular life. Viruses helped give rise to the first lifeforms, are responsible for many of our most devastating diseases, and will continue to control our fate for centuries. In a planet of viruses, science writer carl zimmer accomplishes in a mere 100 pages what other authors struggle to do in 500. Thoroughly readable, and as reassuring as it is frightening,a planet of viruses is a fascinating tour of a formidable hidden world. Thoroughly readable, and as reassuring as it is frightening, a planet of viruses is a fascinating tour of a formidable hidden world. Top like a biological virus, a computer virus is a program that executes and replicates itself without the knowledge of the host, or in this case, the computer user. Zimmer, the popular science writer and author of national geographics awardwinning blog the loom, has updated this edition to include the stories of new.
A planet of viruses journal of clinical investigation. Whether hes exploring how viruses come to america or picking apart the surprisingly complicated common cold, zimmers. In 2004, zimmer launched the loom, a blog about science, that was hosted over the years by discover and national geographic. Both these diseases are vectorborne and have a complex epidemiology. A planet of viruses by carl zimmer essay analysis introduction pages 16 a contagious living fluid. To determine the virus dose required to induce disease in ferrets infected with h1n1 influenza viruses from different origins, ferrets were intranasally inoculated with 0. A planet of viruses by carl zimmer read online on bookmate. A fileinfecting virus attaches itself to an executable program file by adding its own code to the file. Virus types virus forms trojans and droppers what is a computer virus.
The influenza viruses the medical journal of australia. Pdf the role of viruses in coral health and disease. Influenza viruses display host specificity, and avian viruses do not readily infect humans. Fileinfecting viruses this is the most common type of virus. A planet of viruses carl zimmer interview with science writer carl zimmer. Your use of this pdf, the bioone complete website, and all posted and associated. Giant viruses may play an intriguing role in evolution of life on earth date.
Viruses have been a part of our lives for so long, in fact, that we are. Comparative pathology in ferrets infected with h1n1. Hiv, the virus that causes aids, has killed tens of millions of people worldwide, and over 30 million people are currently living with hiv. Consider these facts from carl zimmers book, a planet of viruses. Carl zimmer has been writing about science since 1990.
Zimmer has written thirteen acclaimed books about biology and medicine, is a columnist for t he new york times, a nd is a national correspondent for s tat. The virus remains latent in ganglionic nerve cells and, after activation, travels back along the nerve fibre to the skin. A read is counted each time someone views a publication summary such as the title, abstract, and list of authors, clicks on a figure, or views or downloads the fulltext. But while many scientists consider viruses too simple to actually be classified as life, the research presented in a planet of viruses shows the incredibly complex nature of their relationship with life on earth. All of these viruses have singlestranded ribonucleic acid rna genomes that, with one exception, are positivesense. Sometimes when i think about viruses, i get a picture of a massive outbreak. The capsid the protein shell surrounding the viral nucleic acids contains a circular doublestranded dna molecule with a singlestranded dna region and a dnadependent dna polymerase. Planet of viruses covers such threats as ebola, mers, and chikungunya virus.
But they can have parasitic relationships with each other. A virus, fished out of a lake, may have saved a mans life. Visit his articles archive to read stories hes written for the new york times, national geographic, and other publications. In the compact a planet of viruses, zimmer marshals his treasure of insights and provides us a sweeping introduction to this fascinating, if ineluctably unnerving world. In a planet of viruses carl zimmer seeks to convey this message, elegantly communicating the history of viruses, their symbiotic relation with life, and their influence on mankinds development. Thoracic nerves supplying the chest wall are most often affected, and the lesion presents as a unilateral, painful vesicular rash, which extends in a horizontal strip from the middle of the back around the side of the chest wall belt of roses from hell. Carl zimmer starts his book of essays, a planet of viruses, by taking us deep into the cave of crystals in a remote province of mexico.
A planet of viruses by carl zimmer by pd smith pd smith. Viruses are all around us, in the water we drink, in the oceans we swim in, and in many unlikely places. A planet of viruses is sure to please his many fans and further. Pick up the key ideas in the book with this quick summary. Usually this picture isnt the nearly apocalyptic public health nightmare thats depicted in the movie contagion, but its still pretty scary. They are the smallest living things known to science, yet they can hold the entire planet in their sway.
Encephalitis viruses enter blood by insect bites and cause problems in the nervous system. Viruses are the smallest living things known to science, and yet. If you put all the viruses in the ocean on a scale, they would equal the weight of 75 million blue. He reshapes our understanding of the hidden realities at the core of everyday existence. Guidelines on establishment of virology laboratory in developing countries page 4 apart from new viruses, several other virusesespecially those that cause dengue fever and chikungunya feverhave emerged as major public health issues. Carl zimmer uncovers our planet of viruses pbs newshour. Carl zimmer starts his book of essays, a planet of viruses, by taking us deep into the cave of. Thoroughly readable, and, for all its honesty about the threats, as reassuring as it is frightening, a planet of viruses is a fascinating tour of a world we all need to better understand. Hepadnavirus, any virus belonging to the family hepadnaviridae.
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