TWiV 472: The riddle of the skinks

The TWiV team reveal the origin of the poxvirus membrane, and how a retrovirus drove the development of the placenta of a lizard. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello , Dickson Despommier , Alan Dove , Rich Condit , and Kathy Spindler Become a patron of TWiV! Links for this episode ASV 2018: asv.org , asv2018.umd.edu Support Microbe.tv Origin of poxvirus membrane (PNAS) Poxvirus movies: Movie S1 , Movie S2 , Movie S3 , Movie S4 , Movie S5 Lizard placenta from a retrovirus (PNAS) Letters read on TWiV 472 Weekly Science Picks Kathy - Google doodles Discoverer of photosynthesis Robert Koch Dickson - Nature Photography Winners Rich - The Raging Idiots Planet Song Alan - Zooborns Vincent - Glass Insects and Plants by Yuki Tsunoda Listener Picks Scott - Sagan Series Paul - SMBC Comics Trudy - If Scientists Wrote Christmas Songs Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees . Send your virology questions and comments to [email protected]