If its not too much, I would like to ask about your virus fascination! What exactly do you find interesting? Whats special about covid? I too have an interest in virology but i know embarassingly little about the topic haha- /nf to answer!
OMG MORE VIROLOGY FANS ARE REAL!?
I LOVE VIRUSES AND VIROLOGY
OMG hell yeah, Finally virus yap sesh
Why do i find viruses fascinating?
For starters, their apperiance(ik i spelt it wrong)! They can be so many alien-like unique different shapes and sizes and structures. They're so weird and unique and i absolutely eat that up. I find them beautiful! Sort of like unseen beauty, literally.
Aside from apperiance, i found them very fascinating and interesting how they're so small (smaller than bacteria) but capable on doing a lot. Like everytime when I get herpes or just get some viral infection, im like amazed how they're capable on causing even visible changes/harm and yet they're so tiny that u need special type of microscope called electron microscope to see them. I find that metal af.
What I also find fascinating about them is how simple they may be at first glance, but whole story, history, way they multiply, affect the world, their role, structure, and so on goes wayyy more complex and deeper, even at philosophical level when u question what is actually life, witch brings me to another reason why I love them. Viruses are in grey area. They makes us question more on what is actually life and what counts as living. But this also makes us realize that nature doesn't like and it's not everything sort out and everything has to follow that way. It gets more complex and deeper and more beautiful spectrum. Human brain doesnt like that. Humans want to have order and to divide and put things in places in said order. Human brain accept the fact that nature simply doesnt work that way.
Also they're very fun to draw and design them as characters. Doe i dont see many media that ever get creative, so i have to put things in my hands
Also yes, ik viruses makes us sick, they kill us and other species, and pandemics have been terrible and we're still suffering consequences from covid pandemic. And im sorry for everyone who suffered/faced from covid or lost somone from it, i truly do. Covid pandemic isnt even over, but ppl r sweeping it under u rug. But. I dont find them evil or sorts. In nature, there's no such thing as pure good and pure evil. Cutest and calmest herbivores r capable on killing u. Everything in nature can kill u. Animals we adore can kill u. Nature is harsh. But also keeps balance. The way viruses spread is not their fault, they don't infect to kill u, they infect to spread, their goal is to spread and survive and maintain its species. Sickness and death is just the result of infected and affected cells and organs by them. U see viruses r actually incredibly important for Earth. They have huge and important role in nature. They helped a lot in evolution, they keep number of species in check and stable, they help you to digest food and fight other diseases, some can even kill cancer, they can kill bad bacteria, and list goes on. Fun fact: 8% of human dna is viral! Eradicating all viruses is impossible, but even if we do manage, on day or two we'll be fun, but then apocalypse starts, ecosystem collapses, everything dies yadda yadda...
-they mutate faster, and more than any other species. They constantly change, adapt and evolve. Making them great and successfull survivors and "creatures"
- they live absolutely everywhere. They cover from highest mountains to deepest seas, every breath (you takeee, every smile you makeee/if ykyk), every creature, including humans. Most of viruses that live in humans r called virome, they outnumber your cells, but they actually help you live
-there's a lot of them. They're the most abundand species on Earth. They outnumber all the species on this planet COMBINED. There's so many of them that if u place each virus next to eachother they will extend approximately as 500(maybe i got that number wrong) Milky Way galaxies wide!
-they're so old and wierd at point we don't know their actual history and origin of them, but there's some evidence that point that they might be first shape of Earth life, that they prexisted first cells, they're bilions of years old! And they're reason way Earth life was pushed for cellular life. So that been said, concedering how old they are and how many they are getting rid of them will be drastic change for worse.
Virology and viruses are so fun and interesting. Viruses r so weird and mysterious and I absolutely love that a lot!
What is special abt covid?
In people and social context:
Covid pandemic isnt over. It isn't mild. Vaccine effect lowers after six months. Covid still left scars in politics, health, mental health, long term effects, etc. Ppl still suffer, die from covid. Covid can affect , disable, kill, severely damage everyone, even the healthiest. Age doesnt matter there either, healthy and young people can be severely affected by covid. Pandemic is still ongoing, but it's ignored and it's under the shadow of other current events. Hot take: viruses and health and science should NOT be politicsized!
"But covid fatality rate is only 2% . It's not that bad"
Actually fatality rate is not what makes virus scary and severe. Taking a look at more brutal and fatal viruses, the number of infections and deaths can reach thousands (not always ofc). Covid is silent killer. Most of ppl that spread covid dont even know they have it, they're asymptomatic, some think it's mild cold. Some dont take it seriosly. Sometimes virus hides without immunity noticing and waits for something to trigger it. Covid spreads fast. It managed to infecf over hundreds of millions, so ofc, it killed over 7 millions (number could be different bc ppl no longer report). So it infected and killed more than ebola or rabies , even doe they're very deadly and brutal.
Covid quarantine actually healed and helped the planet a lot. Lot of species went back and survived,saved, air was cleaner, water was cleaner,less noise,Ozone layer healed faster than it should be.
In context of why do i find it special:
I personally love generally the coronaviridae bc they have cool ass crown shape spikes. Quarantine basically opened doors for me, showed me fascinating viruses, invest me in art, fix my personal problems, etc. So uh the list is actually longer but im tired and it gets lil personal. Basically i got quickly attached and fascinated by it at point it became my main comfort oc, my trademark, and name everywhere. I love it x3
Even in science context it's interesting
Ok thst should be all. Sorry for long ahh text and bad english. I love viruses they're so cool. I love these questions, ty! I cant write any longer bc I'm tired and there's way to much rip