MIND UPLOADING might be seen as a quasi-spiritual, soft-science, woo-woo subject. Disregarding the freak show attendant, it is a serious topic, with serious thinkers deeply engaged. At its heart is the nature of (Artificial) Intelligence, the transition from inanimate to animate, and autonomous existence, questions we ask about viruses. It should engage those of us in the life sciences, and those interested in the greater questions of cultural evolution.