The story of life’s beginnings gets stranger when you look closely at viruses. These tiny entities seem to sit at the edge of biology.

Herpes simplex viruses (HSV) are ubiquitous, double‐stranded DNA viruses that establish lifelong infections in human hosts. Central to their cycle is the process of membrane fusion, which permits ...

A giant virus discovered in Japan is adding fuel to the provocative idea that viruses helped create complex life. Named ushikuvirus, it infects amoebae and shows unique traits that connect different ...