Do viruses have any purpose in life?

Question

What are the point of viruses are they here just to bug us? If all of them were exterminated on Earth would we all suffer sooner or later,... or would we continue life perfectly without them?????

Answer 1

it is true that that viruses might not be considered as living organisms because the only thing common they have with living organisms is reproduction. viruses can be dangerous but sometimes helpful. they r used as vectors and also in genetic modification and other complex medical procedures

Answer 2

If viruses were "exterminated", then it'd really be hard to say what would happen.  They help in keeping populations from growing too quickly.  Older viruses that have incorporated themselves into our DNA (and most likely left in our genomes as transposons) have definitely increased biological diversity and have given some crazy unexpected traits within organisms.

It's hard to say what exactly would happen if they were simply "exterminated" from the Earth.  Would we live without them?  Yes.  Would the world be the same without them?  Nope.

Although one could say that if viruses were "exterminated", something else would rise up in its place.

Answer 3

Their only purpose is to make more viruses. If they were all wiped out I don't think life would suffer too much.

On the plus side, viruses have taught us an awful lot about how DNA works. Their ability to insert themselves into a plant or animal's DNA can give us information about how genes work and how cancers happen. It allows us to insert new genetic material into a cell, which can be used to create genetically modified organisms and even cure inherited diseases. So they are quite useful after all.

Answer 4

Just like humans their purpose is to live and reproduce. They just exist. If we destroyed all viruses on earth they would eventually come back in some form. The longer they were gone the more fatal they would be, as we would not have the ability to fight them.

Answer 5

Yes.  They are so that we humans can discover cures to live longer.  People with a low immune system get colds and die younger.  out ability to fight off a viral infection allows us to live healthier.

Answer 6

they are not life forms so technically that invalidates ur question.they are just genetic material

Answer 7

I think the only purposes viruses have is because they already exist.  (research, etc.) If they didn't exist, we would not miss them.  They are evil little protein-Nuleic acid bundles of woe, and they are parasites who could not live without us.  I don't like them, I don't like them at all.

Answer 8

what's the point of anything being here?

we are all slaves to genes.. we are here to perpetrate tehir existance..