2007-01-10 01:08:45 · 5 answers · asked by black owl 2 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Biology
We don't know for sure, but there are two popular hypotheses:
1) Viruses are the precursors of life. Before there was any life there were RNA molecules that managed a way to replicate themselves, and eventually protect themelves.
2) Viruses are degenerate from early forms of life. Some of the original early forms of life "lost" their ability to metabolize on their own and became simplified parasites.
Because there are so many types of viruses it's possible (and probably likely) that viruses originated in both ways.
PS Most virologists consider viruses to be alive. I'm gonna get that point across to this forum one way or another....
2007-01-10 01:16:13 · answer #1 · answered by floundering penguins 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
There is a very plausible theory that states that virus evolved from the cell. Cells are very complex systems, and it is not absurd to think that some of their constituents could be evolved into autoreplicant structures, that still need the machinery of the cells to replicate. Virus are just molecular structures.
I apologize for my bad english, as I am not an english speaker person.
2007-01-10 01:16:08 · answer #2 · answered by Jano 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Be careful saying that viruses are lifeless. I thought the same until a lecturer of mine made us think hard about what life is.
What came first, the virus or the cell? It would have happened one of two ways.
1) viruses came about by the random interaction of molecules. This random blob just so happened to be able to penetrate cells, use their organelles against them and then erupt into a million copies of the original.
2) viruses may have originated as a mechanism within a cell. A mutation caused them to have the ability to escape the parent and thus enter others. As they have no replication mechanism of their own they rely on parasitism to reproduce and complete their life cycle.
hope that helps
2007-01-10 01:27:58 · answer #3 · answered by Alasdair S 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I think viruses are from cell fragments. They are RNA and DNA which give instructions to the cell. So when they enter the cell, the code they brought with them will command the cell to replicate them. It uses the cell's machinery for their own replication.
2007-01-10 02:05:28 · answer #4 · answered by Mike 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
God created viruses. Viruses are very unique and that shows me the wisdom of God. Something that complicated couldn't have just happened. It proves to me that there is a God with great intellegence that we can only partially understand. God created them and designed them how they would live. It didn't evolve. God planed the way that they would function.
2007-01-10 04:51:03 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋