Viral RNA will have multiple genes that code for different things. I’m the case of coronaviruses, the RNA will have a gene that codes for a polymerase that makes copies of the whole rna genome and have genes that code for the proteins necessary to make a virus particle.

In the case of retroviruses, they don’t have a code to copy their own RNA that leaves the infecting virus particle but instead they convert their RNA genomes into DNA and integrate into the cellular DNA at which time they use the cell’s own machinery to make RNA.

Absolutely not. The biological liquid (blood or saliva usually) is taken from you and then exposed to an antibody testing material outside of your body. Antigens that react to antibodies are never injected into your body.

I worked for a biotech company. The methods tested are designed to deliver the drug via a specific route for a specific population versus a negative (typical standard of care) control. Someone working with a glaucoma drug that involves eyedrops is not going to test the drug for intravenous or rectal administration.

Maybe it was because we were all paying a lot of attention to any details associated with the vaccine. For instance, both the experimental and control people would have pain at the injection site, but only people receiving the vaccine would have the injection pain go away and a new pain show up 6-12 hours later that would last for a day. That is the result of an immune reaction. Saline would not do this. When you combine the delayed pain with a slightly elevated body temperature and a slight headache, it is pretty easy to tell when you are sort of focused on whether you got the vaccine or not.

Regarding the 100% wrong for the placebo, maybe you got confused on my comment. In the trial, 50% of the people received the vaccine and 50% of the people received saline. The people who received the saline knew that they had no symptoms and were 100% correct that they didn't get the vaccine.

That is interesting. I was in the Pfizer trial. When they unblinded us, the nurse that was giving us the results asked if we thought we had received the real thing or saline. At the time, she said that the participants were 100% correct. I don't know if that was an official question for the trial, but I think she just wanted to know if the guesses were correct.

If I stick my hand in my reef tank, the fish that were already staring at me like they had never been fed in their entire lives will swim toward my hand. If I put in brine shrimp, all the fish, including the ones that were hiding in the rocks will come out quickly.

Certain species of rats on Christmas Island in the Pacific went extinct due to a protozoa infection brought by fleas. I would imagine that this type of thing has happened regularly in both plants and animals. You have the introduction of a pathogen that doesn't wipe out a similar species and eradicates the new species. Although this is a plant example, the American chestnut was almost completely wiped out by a fungus that was probably brought over by the introduction of Japanese chestnut trees which are more resistant.