Survival of the Fittest: Viruses vs Humans
As a Biology teacher, I often teach learners that the Golden rule of Biology is, ‘Survival of the fittest’. It is much of a ‘cliche’ but when used right, can answer any question faced in Biology and life as a whole.
Biology, is much of an Art as it is a Science. Discoveries from Charles Darwin to Gregor Mendel to one of the greatest discoveries of the 20th century by Watson and Crick have always been rooted in Philosophy. Unfortunately, gone are the days when Philosophy was mixed with Science to understand life, nowadays researchers focus on writing publishable articles even when sometimes the publications are not rich in new discoveries.
Back to our story of Evolution, I am from Africa, the ‘cradle of mankind’. We tend to think that SARS CoV 2 is doing an unfair thing by killing us but in my study of Viruses I have come to terms with the fact that there is not much difference between Humans and Viruses.
Ways in which viruses assure their survival is at par with how humans thrive in this world. Viruses are non-living particles meaning they lack certain characteristics to be classified as living. In that context, they behave partially as living organisms by having capabilities to reproduce but also as non-living because they cannot survive on their own.
Both Humans and Viruses exploit their environments to ensure their survival. So we are at war with Viruses because we both want to survive and we need to settle which one is the master, its a contest between complexity (Humans) and Simplicity (Viruses).
Humans are the apex of complexity with different cells working together in one organism. Viruses are the apex of simplicity, each and every virus trying to make ends meet by infecting as many hosts as it can.
Exploitation of environments
Oh yes, humans are used to exploiting other organisms through domestication for our own benefit. However, when SARS CoV 2 domesticated us there was mayhem in the human population, for those with a keen eye it is time to consider our ways.
Humans are far away from redemption, and so are the viruses. We can hardly go back to co-exist with other organisms because we feel entitled to rule the earth, I mean isn’t that what the holy scriptures say. This is why sometimes Religion tries to undermine Science, Science is the truth and Religion is, WELL, faith. As a 21st century Homo sapien you can choose which one to base your decisions on, yet a story for another day.
Viruses do the same thing by hacking other organisms’ bodies and using them as hosts for producing progenies of their own. Now the added advantage of viruses as very simple particles, even more simple than bacteria is that they can reproduce at exponential rates such that upon successful invasion they can take over the host before it can garner enough resistance against the virus.
