tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4912713243046142041.post2062080640844556708..comments2024-03-18T21:26:34.716-05:00Comments on TYWKIWDBI ("Tai-Wiki-Widbee"): Is your behavior controlled by a parasite ?Minnesotastanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01382888179579245181noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4912713243046142041.post-37042505498781732602012-02-14T20:04:19.864-06:002012-02-14T20:04:19.864-06:00Correlation or causation?
I submit to you that ca...Correlation or causation?<br /><br />I submit to you that cat lovers tend to be more introverted people, and tend to be the ones exposed to cat poo. Did the toxo really make them introverted?<br /><br />Similarly with the flu shot stuff - perhaps people who know they are immune to the flu feel more courageous about socializing during flu season?Melf_Himselfhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09989146159619414666noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4912713243046142041.post-66562305301660751842012-02-11T11:46:14.584-06:002012-02-11T11:46:14.584-06:00You should really see a doctor about that cold, Ki...You should really see a doctor about that cold, King George III.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4912713243046142041.post-76624553343326804162012-02-10T20:38:11.736-06:002012-02-10T20:38:11.736-06:00"Parasite makes men dumb, women sexy"
D..."Parasite makes men dumb, women sexy"<br /><br />Does that remind anyone else of the Republican Party?<br /><br /><br />http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/parasite-makes-men-dumb-women-sexy/2006/12/26/1166895290973.htmlAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4912713243046142041.post-13781267494188846962012-02-10T16:52:36.067-06:002012-02-10T16:52:36.067-06:00"... researchers have observed countless exam..."... researchers have observed countless examples of parasites hijacking the autonomy of their hosts ..."<br /><br />*cough* democracy *cough*Z. Constantinehttp://blog.operator-speaking.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4912713243046142041.post-36909497134833318122012-02-10T15:21:00.615-06:002012-02-10T15:21:00.615-06:00"It completely makes sense, how many crazy ca..."It completely makes sense, how many crazy cat ladies do you know?"<br /><br />Interesting point.<br /><br />CCLAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4912713243046142041.post-2102335008982602222012-02-10T14:35:14.107-06:002012-02-10T14:35:14.107-06:00Toxoplasmosis has been an interesting talking poin...Toxoplasmosis has been an interesting talking point among epidemiologists and biologists for a long time. Google it and you'll come across loads of information. It's not like it's just discovered, BTW; it's why pregnant women have been advised for decades to not get near cat feces.<br /><br />The Scientist just recently had an article with some popular examples of apparently adaptive behavior modification by parasites:<br /><br />http://the-scientist.com/2012/01/01/animal-mind-control/<br /><br />-ChuckAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4912713243046142041.post-60038059726452433042012-02-10T13:54:49.822-06:002012-02-10T13:54:49.822-06:00Thx! Hadn't had the chance to read the Atlanti...Thx! Hadn't had the chance to read the Atlantic story yet.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4912713243046142041.post-80326827533131785482012-02-10T13:41:27.906-06:002012-02-10T13:41:27.906-06:00Radiolab had this in an episode. It completely ma...Radiolab had this in an episode. It completely makes sense, how many crazy cat ladies do you know? I know more than a handful that live within 3 miles of me...Dineponoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4912713243046142041.post-76382187434550014532012-02-10T12:51:28.976-06:002012-02-10T12:51:28.976-06:00"somehow forces its intermediary host to clim..."somehow forces its intermediary host to climb blades of grass"<br /><br />from the link:<br /><br />A drop in temperature normally causes ants to head underground, but the infected insect instead climbs to the top of a blade of grass and clamps down on it, becoming easy prey for a grazing sheep. <br /><br />That's probably the research you remember.Minnesotastanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01382888179579245181noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4912713243046142041.post-9805543707993158562012-02-10T12:23:41.423-06:002012-02-10T12:23:41.423-06:00That is so creepy yet so fascinating at the same t...That is so creepy yet so fascinating at the same time. It's like the plot of some Michael Crichton novel.<br /><br /> I remember hearing about the cat/mouse toxo reaction years ago (similar to a parasite that grazing mammals get - it somehow forces its intermediary host to climb blades of grass to ensure it gets eaten by another grazing animal) and being fascinated by it, but it was brand new research at the time so the story I read wasn't very extensive.<br /><br />Thanks for the link, Stan - nice to be able to follow up on this!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com