The next pandemic? How a familiar virus exploits new hosts

Influenza A boasts a wide range of natural hosts, with different strains established in different species. This wide network gives it an extra evolutionary advantage, turning it into a perennial threat to human and animal health. Credit: Influenza and Other Respiratory Viruses (2016). DOI: 10.1111/irv.12412 Planet Earth—a mere speck in our universe—is home to more viruses than there are stars in the cosmos. They exist at life’s outer limit, performing a delicate dance that has lasted eons but can turn in an instant. Not alive, yet entwined with the living, viruses continue to challenge and surprise us. Like when the Read More