Therefore, the argument that viruses should be excluded from the tree of life because they cannot sustain themselves under natural conditions does not hold. Also, 'nature' does not mean mere soil ...

We propose that four criteria should be considered when determining whether evolving genetic material is part of the phylogenetic tree ... of the phylogeny of life and have played important ...

Photograph by Ciril Jazbec, Tent, for Slovenian Tourist Board 9 min read With just over half of its surface splashed with lush, life-giving woodland, Slovenia is one of the most forested countries ...