Norovirus and the anatomy of a scientific discovery

The process of scientific discovery is far from mysterious, even if it is often more convoluted than you might imagine

"A virus," wrote the celebrated immunologist Peter Medawar, "is a piece of bad news wrapped in protein."

The bad news from norovirus, one of the main preoccupations of my research group, is that you will soon be scuttling to the toilet for two days of misery. Its other name - winter vomiting bug - doesn't do this tiny pathogen justice because, as well as throwing up, you will have to endure a prolonged dose of diaorrhea.