CINCINNATI (WKRC) – Researchers believe they discovered a new type of life form living in the human body that were previously misidentified as viruses.
According to a new study from bioRxiv that has yet to be peer reviewed, researchers identified a new type of life form in the human body, which they called “Obelisks,” that appeared similar to viruses but with multiple key differences that make them a different type of organism.
For starters, the Obelisks do not match any previously recognized virus, so if they are viruses they are brand new. The researchers said that it’s highly unlikely the Obelisks are viruses, since they identified over 30,000 different variants, and they would have expected to find a match for a previously identified virus among so many variations.
Furthermore, the Obelisks contain genetic code to create a similarly new class of proteins, which the researchers named Oblins, and the process is reportedly much different than that used by viruses.
As far as what these organisms do or where they come from, the researchers don’t actually know yet. Further research and peer-reviewing is necessary before any clear conclusions can be drawn.
