Ancient Viruses Altered Human Brains

giulioprisco writes: A new study from Lund University in Sweden (abstract) indicates inherited viruses that are millions of years old play an important role in building up the complex networks that characterize the human brain. The Lund study shows that retroviruses seem to play a central role in the basic functions of the brain — over the course of evolution, the viruses took an increasingly firm hold on the steering wheel in our cellular machinery. In particular, the retroviruses seem to play an important role in the regulation of which genes are to be expressed, and when."

Comments

WSB

[Anonymous Coward]

William Burroughs figured this out decades ago.

Re: Agent Smith was Right

[Anonymous Coward]

Better read Collapse by Jared Diamond before you get all cuddly with yourself. If that doesn't work for you, pick up a copy of The Limits to Growth: The 30 Year Update.

If you don't like either of those, then look at the projections from the National Security Council regarding the future of global geopolitical stability once climate change has really kicked in. Why do you think humans are considered (by ourselves) to be the world's most 'successful' species, anyway? Ya think it has anything to do with the upcoming 6th major extinction event?

Cultivate some more viri, will ya.

Easter island

[aepervius]

what areas have humans consumed so many natural resources that they can no longer survive there

There isn't that many, but i think easter island would qualify.

Re: Agent Smith was Right

[Anonymous Coward]

That's the problem with people like you who filter out what they don't like. If you stop reading, you will stay dumb.