Scientists discover viruses that secretly rule the world's oceans

Thousands of unknown viruses identified recently in the world's seas may have a significant impact on ecosystems, according to experts, in part through "reprogramming" the hosts they infect. The latest study, which was published in the journal Science on Thursday (June 9), focuses on viruses that include RNA, a molecular cousin of DNA. In human illness, RNA viruses abound; coronaviruses and influenza viruses, for example, are both RNA-based. Scientists are just now learning about the variety of RNA viruses that may be found in the water, as well as the spectrum of animals that they can infect.

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