Around eight per cent of your DNA was left behind by ancient viruses, and one of those stolen viral genes is what builds the placenta — meaning every mammal alive, including you, was born because a vi
Scientists have discovered that approximately eight percent of the human genome is composed of ancient viral DNA. This genetic inheritance includes specific viral genes that were repurposed by evolution to enable the development of the placenta in mammals.
Why it matters
This research provides a profound insight into human evolutionary history, demonstrating how ancient viral infections fundamentally shaped mammalian reproduction.
"Are you sure it's not twins?" The question came from a woman I'd never spoken to before, both of us standing on our pedals mid-class in a dark spin studio that smelled like clove deodorant and someone else's protein shake.
The question came from a woman I’d never spoken to before, both of us standing on our pedals mid-class in a dark spin studio that smelled like clove deodorant and someone else’s protein shake. I was six months into carrying my second daughter, and my shirt had ridden up over a stomach that had stopped consulting my due date and started making its own decisions.
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