Re: Re: starship-design: Air born Viruses

[Kelly St <KellySt@aol.com>]

In a message dated 5/3/98 5:05:49 AM, andrew@hmm.u-net.com wrote:

>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

Actually most of the super plagues are from viruses not adapted to humans.
I.E. the whipe out all who are infected rapidly.