[FITZ]

I didn't see where it said the viruses somehow predate other life forms --- and no where does it explain how a virus can do that. "In 2001, he and others found several apparently unique viruses associated with an organism living" This virus is associated with living organism. Aren't all viruses?

[VadeRetro]

I didn't see where it said the viruses somehow predate other life forms --- and no where does it explain how a virus can do that.

One idea about where viruses come from is that they are remnants of "RNA-world." The way they live in cellular cytoplasm now, they used to live in "the soup." (Another idea is that viruses in some way "degenerated" from cellular life.)