If you guys think a re-purposed virus in our DNA is interesting, you might be just as interested to know that roughly 8% of the human genome are from viruses (though most of them non-functional). In comparison, about 1% of our genome is coding (the parts that are turned into proteins.)
Some of these regions come from families of viruses that are very similar, leading to regions of the genome that are close to identical, which leads to copying errors where chunks of the genome are duplicated or deleted.
Interpretation
Past exposure to vaccines against diphtheria or tetanus, poliomyelitis and influenza may protect against subsequent development of Alzheimer’s disease.
Is there some further downstream effect from this as well? Doesn’t the addition of vegetation further condition the sand so deeper layers become a bit more like soil, and the plant roots further help with water retention in the area? I could imagine this not just as a bandaid to help a region, but a change that might help revitalize a region.
On top of that, having a layer of green plants instead of bare sand would add additional carbon fixation, and also cool down the area. Cool article I just found on how plants change the local climate:
What is even the point of this test? If they do not find any DNA, they will still keep looking.
I think what really needs to be done is to dam up the lock and drain out all the water, and film it all so they prove there is no fucking monster and end all this speculation once and for all.
