The party’s internal enforcer built his sinister influence in the shadows – but nemesis now appears to be at hand, says ANDREW MURRAY
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Viruses: a new form of ‘life’?
The Science and Society team report on recent discoveries in the biology of viruses
Britain’s housing crisis is no accident but a political choice, says CLAUDIA WEBBE
JOANNE THOMAS welcomes the Employment Rights Act as an instrument for the much-needed revitalisation of trade union membership and activism
On May 4, the MML opens its doors to marchers and visitors alike, celebrating a living tradition of working-class struggle. MEIRIAN JUMP invites readers to come along and explore the building and its collections
Studying the works of Karl Marx is a necessity if we are to fully comprehend the crises that surround us, says MATT WILLGRESS ahead of a Marx Matters event this weekend
On Workers Memorial Day, EDDIE DEMPSEY calls for immediate action on our railways to make the network safer for all
VIRUSES get a bad rap. Most of us only really think about them when they cause diseases, such as Ebola. They’re viewed as the quintessential hangers-on: bits of genetic material floating around that must leech off living cells to multiply and reproduce. As such, they’re often thought of as not “really” alive.
Indeed, the three of us can dimly remember from school a ridiculous mnemonic for the seven signs that supposedly distinguish life from non-life: “MRS NERG” (or “MRS GREN,” depending on your teacher).
Knowing that viruses fail on a number of those arbitrary metrics — eg R for respiration — would help you pass your biology GCSE.
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