Viruses are everywhere! I think we all know that because we are currently in a COVID-19 pandemic. These tiny proteins only have one mission…multiply using a host’s cells. A host is the animal/plant that has the virus inside of it. They are the ones that might get sick. These viruses inject their genetic information inside of a cell and use that cell as a “copy machine”. Soon, the viruses multiply and start attacking more cells. Our immune system, or the body’s defense system starts fighting these viruses right away! That is why you get sick.
Viruses are microscopic, meaning that they can only be seen using a microscope. That means that they are super small. But, how could the tiny viruses of Earth stack up to the Moon? It is all because there are so many of them! Viruses exist everywhere in the world, from the cold poles to the scorching deserts! They do this because they have the ability to enclose themselves and go dormant, meaning that they only come back to life if they are inside of a host’s cell. There are billions of viruses on Earth, which could all be stacked up to reach the Moon! That distance is over 280,000 miles!!
Remember to come back to the “Fact of the Day” page for tomorrow’s fun fact!