A team of researchers designs a ChatGPT that 'speaks in DNA', capable of creating new species that do not exist in nature and that would allow the creation of a second 'tree of life', new metabolisms, ...

When people talk about the coronavirus, they sometimes describe this invisible entity as if it has a personality and even a conscience. If you ask a biology or medical student what a virus is, they ...

In the vast and often unseen world of microscopic life, a recent discovery may force scientists to rethink what it means to be alive. Nestled inside a tiny plankton cell, researchers found a ...

Over a single day, in the placid waters of a single pond, a million virus particles might enter a single-celled organism known for the minuscule hairs, or cilia, that propel it through those waters.

Humanity loves a good villain, and few villains are as threatening and sinister as a virus. They are practically invisible, a brutal parasite that hijacks our own living cells, twisting their ...

A microscopic fresh-water plankton has been identified as the first-known life form that gobbles up and thrives on viruses, scientists have announced. The tricky science behind reviving ‘zombie ...

The so-called “circle of life” dictates that if a living thing exists, it’s probably food for something else. Viruses, however, have historically managed to escape this unofficial rule. Although ...

Viruses easily spread between humans through coughs, needles, and sex. Animals can also infect humans through infected feces, ...

It's tiny and needy, but is it alive? That's a question prompted by recent research that highlights a surprisingly complex part of biology. The organism in question is a microbe called Sukunaarchaeum ...

A virus that's not dangerous to humans but often lethal to fish has those who monitor the health of the Great Lakes warning about the potential dire consequences of another undesired import. Viral ...

Heshmat Borhani does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond ...