Jens returns to present a brief history of bioweapons, with a focus on the program in the Soviet Union, the largest ever undertaken, and his experience working in the decommissioned Soviet bioweapons laboratory known as Vector.

The TWiV team discuss the biology of Ebola viruses, and how localization of the membrane proteins of vaccinia virus drive function: the fusion machinery sits at the tips of virions, and binding proteins are at the sides.

The TWiVniks explain how the three-dimensional structure of the giant Cafeteria roenbergensis virus suggests a new mode of assembly, and the apparent elimination of dengue fever in an Australian city by release of mosquitoes harboring Wolbachia.

The TWiV hosts review persistence of Ebola virus after the end of the Liberian outbreak, and the potential role of two herpesviruses in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease.

Vincent, Rich and Kathy travel to ASV 2018 at the University of Maryland to speak with Svetlana Folimonova and Anne Simon about their work on viruses that infect plants.

The TWiV team travels to Texas A&M University, home of the Center for Phage Technology, where they speak with Ry Young and Jason Gill about their work on viruses that infect bacteria.

Vincent visits the Smithsonian Institution and speaks with Sabrina Sholts, Jon Epstein, and Ed Niles about the exhibit Outbreak: Epidemics in a Connected World.