Villain or Hero?
What if our enemies turned out to be our allies?
A dialogue between a bacterium and an archaeon reveals the crucial role viruses play in nature. Far from being mere threats, these “misunderstood heroes” regulate bacteria, drive genetic evolution and sustain entire ecosystems.
Fact sheet
| Author | Gunter Pauli |
|---|---|
| Illustrator | Annabelle Carneiro |
| Fable | #332 |
| Category | Work |
| Age | Ages 3 to 15 |
| Characters | E. coli & Archaeon |
| Pagination | 40 pages |
| Format | Paperback, 24 x 16.7 cm |
| Available in the box set | Owl |
Villain or Hero?
Available in the Owl educational box set
Discover the box set
Fable inspired by Eliza Nieweglowska
Eliza Nieweglowska began her academic path at the University of Chicago, where she earned a Bachelor’s degree in biochemistry in 2015. That same year, she also earned a second degree in chemistry, specialising in polymerisation and protein production.
She then pursued a PhD in biochemistry at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), which she completed in 2021. Today, she still works within UCSF’s Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, where her research focuses on “jumbo phages”, unusually large viruses that infect bacteria and challenge classical models of viral biology.
Her work has helped us better understand how these complex viruses function and their potential in fighting antibiotic-resistant bacteria. The discoveries from her publications helped inspire this fable.
What you’ll find in Gunter’s Fables
A captivating story
Stories full of surprises in which Nature reveals all its secrets. Always an incredible yet true story to tell young and old alike... in French and English!
An exploration
A three-part exchange to learn, question and experiment. A playful exploration that encourages curiosity and active learning.
Stimulating the 5 intelligences
Supporting the child’s development so they discover the intelligence within them, broaden their knowledge, and confidently develop their full potential!
Want to go further?
This fable is part of the Owl box set, also available as a pack with the other box sets in the collection.
