What with all the worry about the swine fever virus, I thought I’d see the positive side. As I discuss in this piece for the Times website, viruses are a worthy adversary for the human race. There’s no shame in struggling to control their power over us. After all,
- Viruses might cure cancer
- They can deliver gene therapy
- They could help us fight antibiotic-resistant bacteria
- They drive evolution
- They haven't always been parasites
- They resist scientific classification
- They have unknown potential
- They make up most of our DNA
- They gave us complex life
- The biggest ones come from Bradford
And if you've ever been to Bradford, you'll understand why that is somehow cool!