3 ms·
Mind-Altering Bugs
- joemysterio 15y agoI read this and immediately thought of a recent freakonomics podcast: http://freakonomicsradio.com/the-power-of-poop.html http://freakonomicsradio.com/the-power-of-poop.html As someone who suffers from IBS and lactose intolerance, I am excited about the possibility of this field of research.
- CrazedGeek 15y agoThis reminded me of an excellent read: http://www.damninteresting.com/a-fluke-of-nature/ http://www.damninteresting.com/a-fluke-of-nature/
- ryanmolden 15y agoThere was an interesting article in this last weeks New Scientist magazine entitled "Befriending the Body Snatchers" which talks about parasitic organisms that take over their host's brains. I can't find an online posting of it, but it talks about things like ophiocordyceps camponoti-balzani (http://www.impactlab.net/2011/03/06/zombie-ants-controlled-by-four-new-species-of-fungi/ http://www.impactlab.net/2011/03/06/zombie-ants-controlled-b...), Gordian worms (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nematomorpha http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nematomorpha), Entomophthora (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Entomophthora_muscae http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Entomophthora_muscae), sacculina (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sacculina http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sacculina), and also the use of things like Beauveria Bassiana(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beauveria_bassiana http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beauveria_bassiana) as a way to fight malarial mosquitoes. Interesting stuff, now if only it was posted online... :(
- jeangenie 15y agoon a related note: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toxoplasma_gondii http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toxoplasma_gondii