• Question: Is it possible for something like the T-virus from the resident evil games to exist and would it work in the same way?

    Asked by websea to Louise, Michaela, Sian, Steve, Yvette on 17 Jun 2010 in Categories: .
    • Photo: Michaela Livingstone

      Michaela Livingstone answered on 17 Jun 2010:

      Does the T virus cause zombies in resident evil by any chance? I don’t play computer games really so I don’t know how it works sorry. I think if there was a really contagious virus that could damage your brain and make you a non-thinking killer… then yeah. But I’m not aware of any such virus, but I suppose anything is possible. Unlikely though, and even if did happen I’m sure it wouldn’t end as badly as it tends to in all these zombie movies.

    • Photo: Steven Kiddle

      Steven Kiddle answered on 17 Jun 2010:

      It is true that you can combine DNA from multiple sources, like from leech and the Progenitor virus in resident evil. BUT there is no such thing as a Progenitor virus, that is a non-carcinogenic mutagen with which to cross leech DNA. So until one appears then no.

      Also the way they describe the Virus on wikipedia is:

      “abilities to reanimate dead tissue, to substantially mutate its host, and to infect nearly any tissue in any type of host”

      It is pretty impossible to reanimate dead tissue, and substantial mutations of the host would almost certainly lead to cancer. I suspect that the T-virus is therefore currently impossible.

      But nanobots might one day be able to do at least some of those things…. But probably not, sorry to spoil your fun

    • Photo: Louise Johnson

      Louise Johnson answered on 17 Jun 2010:

      I haven’t played Resident Evil so I had to do some reading-up on this! There are viruses that cause mutations, but unfortunately mutations in the real world don’t have nearly such interesting consequences – they’re more likely to increase your susceptibility to cancer than to make you swell to twice your previous size and grow claws or whatever.

      So, probably not – although real diseases can do things that are almost as weird.

    • Photo: Yvette Wilson

      Yvette Wilson answered on 17 Jun 2010:

      Oh dear! I feel like I’ve missed something again:-( I’ve had to check what you mean about T-viruses….from what I’ve just read on Wikipedia I don’t think it would work. Its just way more difficult genetically engineer than is made out. I’m struggling to just suppress one gene….

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