| cheerfulgreek |
09-20-2011 05:57 PM |
Quote:
Originally Posted by Cen1aur 1963
(Post 2093086)
People get sick from bacteria all the time, so I always thought they were the same. With the exception of cancer, I guess. I remember when I was in high school one of the things we talked about in my history class was the black plague. I thought it was interesting. Eventually these diseases disappear over time, though.
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Nope, they're not the same. Viruses mutate much faster than bacteria. Higher organisms, including protozoa such as malaria, change slowest of all. It's just that it all depends on the relative genetic complexity. Random mutations are less likely to totally cripple a simpler organism, so the fewer the number of genes, the more rapidly an organism can change, yet remain functional. Higher organisms have about 10,000-50,000 genes, bacteria have about 500-5000 genes, and viruses have 3-1000 genes. To make it easier for you to understand how they work, consider two machines, one with just a few components and the other with a lot. The more parts that interact with each other, the less flexibility we have to alter any individual component. If we randomly change one part of a simpler machine, it's less likely to cause problems. It's just that the fewer genes, the more likely mutations will be tolerated and the faster evolution may occur.
Cancer is also different. Cancers happen because of a build-up of genetic damage over the years in non reproductive cells. It's just that cancer cells grow out of control and destroy the body to which they belong. Toxic chemicals, both natural and artificial, and ultraviolet radiation from the sun are responsible for a lot of cancers, but they can also happen because the body's own genetic machinery makes occasional mistakes.
I think you're talking about the bubonic plague.
And no viruses don't just "disappear over time". That's a misconception. |
