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Viruses are everywhere. They are survival experts and may possibly have been the origin of all life on Earth. Viruses have served as an engine of evolution, including human development. Scientists say, around half of all human genetic material contains segments originating from viruses: long-term memory and embryonic pregnancy are just two examples. But viruses can also pose a threat: Pandemics such as the Spanish flu, AIDS, Ebola and most recently, CoVid-19. Researchers have found that these illnesses were likely caused by zoonotic diseases, which can be transmitted from animals to humans and vice versa. To prevent further epidemics, researchers are on the lookout for new virus variants: In the rainforests of Africa, they regularly analyze viruses carried by certain animal species. The aim is to identify risks for new zoonotic diseases at an early stage. The equilibrium between the viral and the human worlds plays an important role: Preserving biodiversity and animals’ natural habitat is key to protecting the world from dangerous new epidemics.
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