If you had a button that would make every single virus in the world disappear forever, would you press it?
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There are so many more good viruses than bad ones. For example, Bacteriophages can be beneficial because kill bacteria.
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Pretty sure the natural world would stop working if you did this.
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Hope that button doesn't include all viral genetic material, because, uh...
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Welp: blogs.discovermagazine.com/loom/2012/02/1
Some of the key patterns that make you who you are, biologically, are made of ancient viruses. We wouldn’t be able to carry our babies in the womb, if it weren’t for viral DNA.
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As I understand it, we depend on viruses as vectors to do genetic engineering (ie GMOs), so that might be a big cost to pay. Also I am not sure how that would affect unicellular-level food chains. It could have huge large-scale unforeseen consequences. So NO.
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If the people saying 'yes' to this don't have a degree in biology/virology, and know exactly what consequences that would have, they are just pure psychoes... Even then...
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Those who said "yes" should think again.
The button would stop COVID-19 and other viral epidemics. But viruses also have major evolutionary and ecological roles. These roles aren't part of popular narratives—but they will be, and not in a good way—if you press the button.
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