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by Marilyn J. Roossinck (Author), Carl Zimmer (Foreword by)
An essential illustrated guide to the 101 most fascinating viruses
This stunningly illustrated book provides a rare window into the amazing, varied, and often beautiful world of viruses. Contrary to popular belief, not all viruses are bad for you. In fact, several are beneficial to their hosts, and many are crucial to the health of our planet. Virus offers an unprecedented look at 101 incredible microbes that infect all branches of life on Earth--from humans and other animals to insects, plants, fungi, and bacteria. Featuring hundreds of breathtaking color images throughout, this guide begins with a lively and informative introduction to virology. Here readers can learn about the history of this unique science, how viruses are named, how their genes work, how they copy and package themselves, how they interact with their hosts, how immune systems counteract viruses, and how viruses travel from host to host. The concise entries that follow highlight important or interesting facts about each virus. Learn about the geographic origins of dengue and why old tires and unused pots help the virus to spread. Read about Ebola, Zika, West Nile, Frog virus 3, the Tulip breaking virus, and many others--how they were discovered, what their hosts are, how they are transmitted, whether or not there is a vaccine, and much more. Each entry is easy to read and includes a graphic of the virus, and nearly every entry features a colorized image of the virus as seen through the microscope. Written by a leading authority, this handsomely illustrated guide reveals the unseen wonders of the microbial world. It will give you an entirely new appreciation for viruses.Back Jacket
"Viruses rule our world. They both threaten to kill us and help to regulate the food webs of oceans. They embed themselves in our DNA and stalk the bacteria in our guts. They are ever-present, understudied, and, as this book makes more clear than any other has, beautiful. Roossinck provides a window into the diminutive architecture of our viruses, their grandeur, horror, details, and stories. Her book is a reminder that the world is always more interesting than it seems."--Rob Dunn, author of The Man Who Touched His Own Heart: True Tales of Science, Surgery, and Mystery
"Viruses are a microscopic but fundamentally important part of every ecosystem on the planet. By mixing spectacular illustrations with summaries of the properties of 101 viruses, this 'field guide' brings the hidden world of these fascinating microbes to life."--Jonathan Eisen, University of California, Davis
"This is a wonderful book that educates readers about the variety, uses, and history of viruses. Roossinck does not take the expected position that all viruses are bad, but instead reveals the complexity and surprising diversity of them."--Erica Ollmann Saphire, Scripps Research Institute
"Absolutely terrific."--Sunetra Gupta, University of Oxford
Author Biography
Marilyn J. Roossinck is professor of virus ecology in the Department of Plant Pathology and Environmental Microbiology at Pennsylvania State University. She lives in Bellefonte, Pennsylvania.
