Viruses and Evolution
Authors:   Lomonosov Moscow State University, Grinin Anton L. 
Published: January 2025

The role of viruses within Big History is an important field in understanding the process of evolution; however, it is not yet extensively studied. This is due both to the fact that viruses, being microscopic pathogenic, have left limited physical traces in the geological record, and because there is no firm agreement on the place of viruses in evolution. The purpose of this report is to explore the role of viruses in the context of evolutionary development within the framework of Big History. It aims to provide an overview of current perspectives and challenges associated with understanding the position of viruses in the broader narrative of evolutionary history.

According to a dictionary, a virus is defined as ‘any of a large group of submicroscopic infectious agents that are usually regarded as non-living extremely complex molecules. The term ‘agents’ is commonly used in virology due to the difficulty in finding a universal term to describe these unique entities. A virus is not an organism, in our usual sense of the definition, nor is it a chemical compound since viruses have an overly complex structure and behavior that sets them apart. In the field of evolution, viruses pose a perplexing puzzle piece that does not neatly fit into the larger picture. Undeniably, viruses are the most pervasive entities on Earth. However, despite their ubiquitous presence, only a little over 6,000 virus species have been comprehensively described in the existing body of knowledge.

In the paper, the author observes evolution and their origins, including regressive, protobiont hypotheses, as well as the symbiotic theory, which according to some researchers was the factor that led to the three cellular domains of life that we now know. The paper also delves into a fascinating aspect of evolution: the unique position of viruses, which exist on the edge of disorder, displaying high instability yet remarkable adaptability. This raises the question of whether viruses can be considered alive or not, leading to an intriguing debate. We also explore the question of whether viruses can be classified as parasites, which may seem simple at first glance but is actually a complex and contradictory topic.

The author discusses the role of viruses from an energetic perspective, recognizing their significance in information and energy dynamics within ecosystems. Viruses exert a substantial influence on energy flows in intricate ecological systems. The paper considers viruses from the perspective of information evolution, because in some respects viruses can be regarded as pure information particles. The author also argues that viruses can be considered as basic information agents that transmit genetic information and are thus the basic molecular tool of evolution. Moreover, this tool is beginning to be used by humans for the genetic alteration of many organisms, including ourselves.

It is important that viruses will no longer be considered only as dangerous pathogens, since pathogenic viruses make up only a small part of their genus. We argue that breakthroughs in virology in the coming decades could be no less important as a breakthrough in understanding the nature of bacteria, both pathogenic and beneficial.

The paper also examines viruses as a complex self-regulating system drawing comparisons to other complex systems such as computer viruses, cancer, and languages. It emphasizes the remarkable similarities between these systems and explores possible explanations for these similarities.