A Planet of Viruses

Third Edition

By: Carl Zimmer

Narrated by: Stephen Bowlby

In 2020, an invisible germ - a virus - wholly upended our lives. We're most familiar with the viruses that give us colds or Covid-19. But viruses also cause a vast range of other diseases, including one disorder that makes people sprout branch-like growths as if they were trees. Viruses have been a part of our lives for so long that we are actually part virus: the human genome contains more DNA from viruses than our own genes. Meanwhile, scientists are discovering viruses everywhere they look: in the soil, in the ocean, even in deep caves miles underground.

Fully revised and updated, with a new chapter about coronaviruses and the spread of Covid-19, this third edition of Carl Zimmer's A Planet of Viruses pulls back the veil on this hidden world. It presents the latest research on how viruses hold sway over our lives and our biosphere, how viruses helped give rise to the first life-forms, how viruses are producing new diseases, how we can harness viruses for our own ends, and how viruses will continue to control our fate as long as life endures.

©2011, 2015, 2021 The Board of Regents of the University of Nebraska (P)2021 Tantor

Wow!

I know quite abit about biology, but this book showed how little I knew. I now have a bunch of research questions.

Great overview of viral world

cover in detail where needed and gives overview where detail would be too much. you will understand the virus world much better after reading this.

Thoughtful collection of topics, excellently explained

Carl Zimmer does a fantastic job of discussing the planet of viruses with some well selected topics. Not overly human focused, and so it really covers virology well.

Quite interesting stories but not very deep

This was a short listen that felt well worth the time investment as it provided good information and interesting stories in a concise manner.

Optimally I'd have appreciated a little more scientific details about the mechanism and structure of different types of viruses though, but I reckon I'll have to find this info elsewhere.