Overview

• An international team of researchers has discovered a new class of virus-like agents, named 'Obelisks', that reside within the human body.
• Obelisks possess unique characteristics, including secondary rod-like structures and open reading frames capable of facilitating a superfamily of proteins called 'Oblins'.
• Obelisks were detected in around 7% of stool samples and close to 50% of oral samples, with their composition varying depending on the areas within the body they are found.
• Obelisks have been identified in hosts from all seven continents and a variety of different ecological conditions.
• The impact of Obelisks on human health and their exact nature remains unknown.