[2011-Aug-08] Comic Question

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Re: 8 Aug 2011 Comic Question

by SerCarter » Wed Aug 10, 2011 5:36 am

Sounds like my good friend captain higgins, the parasitic flatworm

Re: 8 Aug 2011 Comic Question

by DrStrangelove » Tue Aug 09, 2011 11:24 pm

Actually, humans are infested by a species of tremadode themselves. Search for Schistosoma mansoni. But it parasites mainly the liver, not the brain.

Re: 8 Aug 2011 Comic Question

by Wrinkledlion X » Mon Aug 08, 2011 11:20 pm

Not familiar with that one, but after searching for a while, I found the one I was thinking of: "Does a Bee Care?" by Asimov

So not parasitism exactly, but a similar overall concept.

Re: 8 Aug 2011 Comic Question

by UnclGhost » Mon Aug 08, 2011 10:09 pm

Yeah, definite similarities to "On a Blade of Grass." At least here it's a joke instead of the plot, but I have the same problem with it: how on earth would there be selection pressures that led to a parasite that reproduces in the stomach of an alien that it's never even been close to encountering?

(incidentally, my favorite parasites-make-people-do-normal-things story is "The Giving Plague" by David Brin)

Re: 8 Aug 2011 Comic Question

by Quintushalls » Mon Aug 08, 2011 5:55 pm

gavin wrote:Didn't it involve time travel to kill dinosaurs who would have died soon otherwise?
Save yourself mammal! We'll fend off the asteroid!

Re: 8 Aug 2011 Comic Question

by gavin » Mon Aug 08, 2011 5:02 pm

Wrinkledlion X wrote:Wasn't this the premise of a short story by (I think) Asimov?
That Zach's wife presented at the Animal Behaviour Society 2011 Conference? Yes, I think I remember that one. Didn't it involve time travel to kill dinosaurs who would have died soon otherwise?

No, I'm pretty sure that's the Sound of Thunder. Never mind.

Re: 8 Aug 2011 Comic Question

by Wrinkledlion X » Mon Aug 08, 2011 4:58 pm

Wasn't this the premise of a short story by (I think) Asimov?

Re: Trematode [Aug-08-11]

by ABS2011 » Mon Aug 08, 2011 3:42 pm

Oh my goodness - SUDDEN REALIZATION

The Weinersmith, K who I saw present on this topic at the Animal Behaviour Society 2011 Conference was Zach Weiner's wife?

Trematode [Aug-08-11]

by Mental Mouse » Mon Aug 08, 2011 3:12 pm

Actually, there's a credible example for humans... that of the toxoplasmosis parasite, carried by a number of mammals, but primarily cats. We know that when it infects rats, it makes them much less wary of cats, even of their smell... so they're much more likely to get eaten.

We also know it can infect humans, usually without obvious symptoms. Now, a lot of humans are themselves pretty wary of cats... but then, there are "cat people", who seek them out at every opportunity. Not to mention the "crazy cat people", who hoard cats....

Re: 8 Aug 2011 Comic Question

by null » Mon Aug 08, 2011 2:55 pm

An estimated 1/3 of the human population has such an infection.

https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/ ... sma_gondii

It's quite similar to what was mentioned in the comic, except this is generally between mice and cats instead of fish and birds, and can infect humans as well.

Re: 8 Aug 2011 Comic Question

by corydodttemp » Mon Aug 08, 2011 2:55 pm

Google EP276 and click "I'm Feeling Lucky" .. I think Zach accidentally told the plot of this story as a joke. Definitely accidental btw, I totally get that this is a coincidence, but it's bizarre how close they are.

Re: 8 Aug 2011 Comic Question

by neuroboy » Mon Aug 08, 2011 2:40 pm

re: parasites

Radiolab did an entire episode on how parasites change behavior. . . awesome/creepy. . . http://www.radiolab.org/2009/sep/07/

Re: 8 Aug 2011 Comic Question

by Guest » Mon Aug 08, 2011 1:24 pm

Phil Plait (aka "The Bad Astronomer").

[2011-Aug-08] Comic Question

by friedlad » Mon Aug 08, 2011 12:19 pm

http://www.smbc-comics.com/index.php?db=comics&id=2331

Last frame.
Neil DeGrasse Tyson and who's the other guy?

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