> I am currently at work on a science fiction/disaster novel and am
^^^^^^^
...and if you have no SCIENCE background, how come you are trying to
write such a novel???
> major plot device is an unusual form of airborne virus. I would
The only kind of unusual form of airborne virus would be one that is
totally unrealistic, given our current understanding of virus
architecture - and while it is tempting fate to say that no major
surprises are expected, no major surprises ARE expected, in terms of
"airborne viruses", at any rate. Perhaps a parachute brigade-borne
virus?
> Thanks, in advance, for your assistance.
Read. Read several books. Start with Prescott et al.s
Microbiology, 2nd Edn (Wm C Brown, 1993). Move on to Luria et al.s
General Virology (John Wiley and Sons, 1978). Take in Jim Watson et
al.s Molecular Biology of the Gene. Do an undergraduate course in
introductory virology. Then, perhaps, you can do considerably
better than Frank Herbert's "White Plague", which was almost TOTALLY
unbelievable. As well as Robin Cook's "Terminal", perhaps, which
was APPALLINGLY characterised, but which had some almost-believable
technical details on artificially-constructed viruses (and some
risible science, like "he sequenced the protein, and then
synthesised primers, and amplified"...all in a couple of days!).
But PLEASE try to make it believable? Run the draft past a
virologist, at least? Make use of the very excellent WWW Virology
site (http://www.bocklabs.wisc.edu/Welcome.html)?
But, above all, READ some elementary virology!! And thanks for
bothering to ask advice; many would simply rush blithely in and
create something dreadful, which makes no sense whatever
scientifically, but frightens the bejesus out of the civilians...
_________________________________________________________________
| Ed Rybicki, PhD | Well, I tip my hat |
| (ed at micro.uct.ac.za) | To the new constitution |
| Dept Microbiology | Take a bow for the new revolution... |
| University of Cape Town | Then I get on my knees and pray |
| Private Bag, Rondebosch | We don't get get fooled again... |
| 7700, South Africa | |
| fax: xx27-21-650 4023 | - Pete Townshend, 1972 |
| tel: xx27-21-650 3265 | (Won't get fooled again) |
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