Kind of eerie and ghostly, isn’t it?

It’s a virus that infects bacteria, looks like the lunar lander, and was among the first viruses ever discovered. These guys may also be the most ubiquitous biological entities on the planet; you may be swallowing untold millions in every accidental mouthful of fresh or seawater. Did I mention the water’s teeming with the bacteria and archaea they prey on too?

Most viruses are either simple rods, spheres, or polyhedrons (often icosahedrons — 20-sided polyhedra, of course). This baby is both and then some. In the world of virus architecture, this is the fully loaded Corvette with T-tops, all-leather seats, and pre-installed hot chick. It is a natural work of art.

So why didn’t someone think of this sooner?

I have no idea who this guy is but I like how he thinks. There’s a certain delicious irony in using old computers to build models of . . . viruses. My capsid’s off to you, sir. Who needs a lawn gnome when you can have a lawn phage?