Re: starship-design: Air born Viruses

[A West <andrew@hmm.u-net.com>]

At 22:58 02/05/98 -0500, you wrote:
>         In watching many Sci-Fi movie, I've come across two different
>points that contradict each other, and you probably have too. In WAR OF
>THE WORLDS, the invading aliens are killed by viruses and bacteria that
>they are not immune to; in another movie, however, I forget which, it
>said the viruses and other agent have not adapted to use of human cells.
>I was wondering which of these is more likely of happening.

Viruses that kill their hosts are not properly adapted - afterall, their
"aim" in life is to multiply.
Therefore the potentially dangerous ones are the ones that cannot be
adapted to their new hosts.
I expect that even if a virus is not adapted, it won't necessarily be able
to survive, or if it does, do any harm, but the potential is there to do
damage.
Plus, there are millions upon millions of diferent viruses, and you're
likely to be exposed to a fair few of those wherever you go.
Even if the chances aren't that good that a given virus will do you any
damage, if you're exposed to, say a hundred different viruses, only 1 has
to be damamging...

Andrew West