 From the NewYorkTimes.com
By CARL ZIMMER
Published: May 4, 2009
Evolutionary biology may sometimes seem like an arcane academic pursuit, but just try telling that to Gavin Smith, a virologist at Hong Kong University. For the past week, Dr. Smith and six other experts on influenza in Hong Kong, Arizona, California and Britain have been furiously analyzing the new swine flu to figure out how and when it evolved.
The first viruses from the outbreak were isolated late last month, but Dr. Smith and his colleagues report on their Web site that the most recent common ancestor of the new viruses existed 6 to 11 months ago. “It could just have been going under the radar,” Dr. Smith said.
The current outbreak shows how complex and mysterious the evolution of viruses is.
To read more and see the excellent Graphic of the evolution of the virus, visit New York Times Online |
