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The first virus to exist is impossible to say. Microscopic life was not discovered until the invention of the microscope. Bacteria were discovered first because they are bigger than 400 nm (nanometres) in size. Viruses are far simpler and are usually between 20 and 250nm in size.

The first real work on viruses was done by Heinz Fraenkel-Conat in 1910 with his work on TMV (tobacco mosaic virus). This is one of the simplest viruses there is and the most studied.

Viruses are not considered to be living organisms by some biologists because ALL exist in a parasytic form (none fee living) and all rely on their host for reproduction. Others believe they are living organisms because they have an existence of their own separate to the host and are subject to natural selection. One hypothesis is that they are rouge pieces of DNA.

Viruses are too small to exist in the fossil record although there is evidence of their existence because of their effects on other animals and plants. This record goes back as far into the history of life on Earth as humans can go.

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13y ago

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