A few months ago I asked this question about virus evolution. If Viruses evolve so fast, why are they still viruses? I mean, how come we don't see them evolving into some other kind of animal?
The response i got was that viruses are not even alive, but as i understand it, when evolution started way back when, animals got there start from nonliving material. So, why cant a non-living virus evolve into a living animal?
I thought the point of evolution was to evolve into something else. I mean, Fish-->Monkey-->Man type stuff. So if a virus is stuck being a virus, how is it that dinosaurs evolved into birds? Or is that apples and oranges?
I got various responses as to how it is not the point of evolution to simply evolve. What I understood from the replies is that there is no point. Regardless of whither there is a point to evolution or not people believe Fish-->Monkey-->Man type changes have accrued. So, if a virus is stuck being a virus, how is it that dinosaurs evolved into birds? Or is that apples and oranges?
These I added late and didnt get an answer for them.
Ok, the mechanism by which evolution is able to change one species into another is random mutations. Is this right? So, if the mutations are random, why cant a virus evolve an ability to survive outside of a host cell? I mean, Ive heard that creatures that lived under water evolved into creatures that can breathe air.
Also, do I understand it right that we don't know what viruses evolved from?
2007-01-20
19:23:57
·
8 answers
·
asked by
Edmond T
2
in
Biology