Planet Of Viruses

Carl Zimmer is a well-known science writer who takes his readers on a guided tour of some of the wonders of the world that belong to viruses, in which scientists are increasing our understanding of life. Zimmer is the author of one of the books I choose to read, The Planet of Viruses gives a brief summary of different viruses in a fascinating way. Zimmer introduces you to the history of virology by exploring some of the common viruses such as rhinovirus, influenza, human papillomavirus (HPV), marine bacteriophages and endogenous retroviruses. He even describes some of the ancient virus such as HIV, West Nile Virus, Ebola, smallpox to name of few. Zimmer writes in a manner for people who have minimal knowledge of microbiology, immunology …show more content…
The target audience could anyone from middle or high school students to college students who are interested in immunology and virology. Zimmer does not do boring stuff; he puts in a non-textbook form, which makes it an enjoyable read with a little twist.
The book provides a good and engaging introduction to viruses for complete beginners. Zimmer takes you on a journey by opening your eyes and expanding your horizons. The author will walk you through a number of examples to show on how the viruses were found, their methods and purpose. The book gives more than one viewpoint to understand how scientists from different parts of the world have defined viruses and how viruses shape life.
Viruses are the smallest living things known to science, yet they hold the entire planet in their power. Common colds or flu, we are familiar with, but viruses can cause a range of other diseases. We are each possessed of multifaceted and diverse ecosystems of microbes that have a profound influence on our existence. Viruses are part of our human genome: the human genome contains more DNA from viruses than our own