Scientists have made a ground-breaking discovery of giant viruses with unprecedented shapes and appendages in forest soil near Harvard. These viruses, up to 635 nanometers wide, exhibit an astonishing diversity never seen before. The finding showcases a higher diversity than all previously known giant viruses combined. These enormous viruses are larger than typical human-encountered viruses like COVID-19. The implications of this research are far-reaching, and further study is needed to understand their origins and functions. This breakthrough adds to the fascinating field of giant viruses, with past discoveries including Mimivirus, Megavirus chilensis, and Pithovirus sibericum.
Source: https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.06.30.546935v1