Ewwww!

[Rhinosaur]

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/06/20/sc...ewanted=1&_r=1

I read this in the NY times the other day and was overcome by that subtle blend of interest and disgust. Damned microscopic parasites can in effect perform mind control on rats in order to raise it's odds of reproduction. Worse still is that these parasites can survive in any mammals, including humans.

[Eric]

So, these parasites raise your odds of reproduction. I guess, what those *******s in High School called "Game" is infact a small parasite buried deep into their brain.

[Rhinosaur]

No man, read the article. The parasites can only reproduce in oocysts inside the intestines of cats. So they alter the minds of rats to make them lose their instinctual fear of cats and actually enjoy the smell of cats. That in turn allows the parasite a greater chance of reproduction because any rats infected by it will be drawn to cats, who will eat the infected rats and be infected by the parasites.

[Rhinosaur]

Respond damn you!!! This topic is more important than invisibility, as this parasite actually exists now!1!!

[John I Tzimisces]

Kind sir, do cats eat humans? Didn't think so.

[bdh]

Kind sir, do cats eat humans? Didn't think so.

No, but it does explain why some people like cats.

[John I Tzimisces]

No, but it does explain why some people like cats.

It removes the *fear* of cats, it doesn't cause love for them. If that were so, we'd be overrun with felines. Since humans are not a source of food for cats, the parasite has no purpose in infecting humans other than happenstance. I'd imagine the fact that most of the world outside our relatively well off position comes into contact with the carrier of the parasite, the rat, therefore, they can pick it up. Hardly cause for alarm unless cats mutate into gigantic beasts bent on eating on a genocidal scale.

[bdh]

It removes the *fear* of cats, it doesn't cause love for them.

False.

and actually enjoy the smell of cats.

If that were so, we'd be overrun with felines. Since humans are not a source of food for cats, the parasite has no purpose in infecting humans other than happenstance. I'd imagine the fact that most of the world outside our relatively well off position comes into contact with the carrier of the parasite, the rat, therefore, they can pick it up. Hardly cause for alarm unless cats mutate into gigantic beasts bent on eating on a genocidal scale.

Whose to say that ingestion is the only form of transmission.

On paper, Toxoplasma gondii looks as if it ought to be the most famous parasite on earth. This single-celled pathogen infects over half the world's population, including an estimated 50 million Americans.

Of course, the cat infecting version is only one kind, though cats are a major source of them.

[Rhinosaur]

They even infect sea otters! If a microbe can manipulate the thoughts of one type of mammal, why not another? The article even acknowledges a possibility for increased shcizophrenia among those infected (that may explain those crazy cat ladies). I find it interesting that the mightiest and most brilliant of all known creation could be decieved by the smallest.

[Lord Tomyris]

They even infect sea otters! If a microbe can manipulate the thoughts of one type of mammal, why not another? The article even acknowledges a possibility for increased shcizophrenia among those infected (that may explain those crazy cat ladies). I find it interesting that the mightiest and most brilliant of all known creation could be decieved by the smallest.

Deceived by the humblest things that God in his wisdom has put upon the Earth- bacteria, minute, invisible, bacteria!

Cookie to anybody who guesses the reference!

[Aristocrat]

War of the worlds?