How Do Viruses Work? | COLOSSAL QUESTIONS

Has your nose ever endlessly dripped with snot while you sweat and shiver at the same time and wondered to yourself, how do viruses work, why do they make us sick, and how do they spread? Let's find out on today's episode of Colossal Questions. Viruses are really small, about 100 times smaller than a single cell of bacteria. In fact, they're so small that the average microscope doesn't even pick them up. These vicious little packets of bad DNA can't reproduce on their own. Viruses need to attach themselves to a healthy cell in order to stay alive and replicate. They use a special receptor that works a bit like a key to a door, allowing the virus to attach itself to the cell, like a spaceship connecting to an airlock. Once the virus is in the cell, it starts duplicating itself over and over again until the healthy cell is overwhelmed, destroyed, and eventually dies. The virus keeps moving, finding the nearest cell it can and attaches to it, starting the whole destructive process over again. Eventually, so many cells start to be destroyed that you start to get sick. Oftentimes, the fever, runny nose, sweats, or chills you get when sick is actually just signs that your body is currently killing off the virus. So while it's never good to have a runny nose, at least next time, you'll know it means your body is trying to get you healthy. A virus transfers from person to person a few different ways depending on the virus. Some are passed by touch, some by tiny droplets in the air from the cough or sneeze of an infected person, and some viruses are passed on by infected insects. Throughout history, viral diseases like measles, mumps, tetanus, smallpox, and many others were a very real, common, and deadly part of everyday life. Luckily, through years of research, technology, and lots of hard work, scientists developed vaccines for most of the deadliest viruses in history. So what's a virus? A pesky pile of damaged DNA that destroys everything it touches. So while no one likes getting a shot, if there is one available, try to remember what's at stake for your body.