this post was submitted on 30 Dec 2023
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Science Memes

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Welcome to c/science_memes @ Mander.xyz!

A place for majestic STEMLORD peacocking, as well as memes about the realities of working in a lab.

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submitted 10 months ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]
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[–] [email protected] 2 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) (1 children)

It's in the air if viruses are even alive, you're giving them way too much agency in the matter.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 10 months ago

Viruses do adapt and mutate though. Look at all the various strains of H1N1 and SARS-COV-2.

Just because they don’t reproduce without a host cell doesn’t mean evolution doesn’t happen. If a trait emerges that is beneficial to future generations, viruses carrying that trait can infect more cells and spread further.

Usually it’s evolution itself that people give too much agency to. Mutations are a crapshoot. They can be beneficial or they can cause birth defects, sterility, prevent reaching sexual maturity, or make finding a mate excessively difficult. Or all of the above.