Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Parasites That Can Control Insect Minds

Posted by ScuttleMonkey on from the welcome-yet-another-overlord dept.

Ant writes to tell us that NewScientist is running an article about an interesting parasite that apparently has the power to 'brainwash' its host. From the article: "The parasitic Nematomorph hairworm (Spinochordodes tellinii) develops inside land-dwelling grasshoppers and crickets until the time comes for the worm to transform into an aquatic adult. Somehow mature hairworms brainwash their hosts into behaving in way they never usually would - causing them to seek out and plunge into water."

21 of 335 comments (clear)

  1. Parasites Controlling Insects? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

    This could explain George W. Bush...

    1. Re:Parasites Controlling Insects? by henni16 · · Score: 4, Funny

      This could explain George W. Bush...
      But it said the host will seek out water, not oil.. ;)

    2. Re:Parasites Controlling Insects? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

      Hey! That was my joke, but now thwat I see that you've been modded down, you can have it.

    3. Re:Parasites Controlling Insects? by henni16 · · Score: 5, Funny

      Hey! That was my joke, but now thwat I see that you've been modded down, you can have it.

      Yeah, it seems those brain control parasites are more common as one might think.. ;-)

    4. Re:Parasites Controlling Insects? by Bedouin+X · · Score: 4, Funny

      Bush? Nah this sounds more like a woman to me.

      --
      Dissolve... Resolve... Evolve...
    5. Re:Parasites Controlling Insects? by CrowScape · · Score: 2, Funny

      Just imagine those poor Democrats, being constantly outwitted by a mold...

      --
      common sense: noun
      What those who are ignorant of the subject matter think; usually wrong.
    6. Re:Parasites Controlling Insects? by BitterAndDrunk · · Score: 2, Funny

      He did say bush. *whistles innocently*

      --
      You better watch out, there may be dogs about . . .
  2. Khan!!!! by Ritz_Just_Ritz · · Score: 3, Funny

    Fortunately, those parasites are only found on Seti Alpha V.

    1. Re:Khan!!!! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

      I knew I should look it up before I said anything."

      Maybe a parasite made you do it so it could escape to an environment suitible for spawning.

  3. And the story is submitted by karvind · · Score: 4, Funny
    by Ant :)

    Sorry couldn't help it.

  4. When asked for comment... by The+Breeze · · Score: 4, Funny

    An "interested observer", was asked to comment on the ramifications of the mind-controlling insects. The observer simply looked at the reporter and said, "KHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAN!"

  5. Behold the evolution of...... by jjh37997 · · Score: 4, Funny

    Behold the evolution of the Goa'uld!

  6. Re:There is also a jungle fungus that does this by mattkime · · Score: 2, Funny

    VERY scary, very science fiction. What if this happened to people, but the behavior was at least passable, until it was 'too late'?

    I believe it already occurs. People produce spores called 'children'. We are brainwashed into sending them to 'learning centers' where they exchange germs and transport them back home. This also explains why they have trouble preventing various mucous-like substances from escaping their body.
    --
    Know what I like about atheists? I've yet to meet one that believes God is on their side.
  7. Re:Are you telling the world that you got branwash by speculatrix · · Score: 2, Funny

    branwashing? is this committed by a cereal killer?

  8. intelligent design. by leuk_he · · Score: 2, Funny

    If this isn't a sign of intelligent design behind live the universe and everything, what is? ;)

    1. Re:intelligent design. by ameline · · Score: 4, Funny

      These spores have clearly been designed by His Noodlyness. There is truly no limit to what He can do with merely the wave of His Noodly Appendage.

      Ramen.

      --
      Ian Ameline
  9. Re:Why the article? by MutantHamster · · Score: 2, Funny

    Oh my gosh, you're right! We'd all start floating upwards!

    --
    My Greatest Heist - Muisc partly inspired by the unbeatable Qwantz
  10. Re:Yuk! by aklix · · Score: 2, Funny

    I'm just curious, why is the topic image for this a vacuum cleaner!?

  11. Use this to your advantage. by glass_window · · Score: 3, Funny

    1) Find grasshoppers and/or crickets randomly plunging to their watery graves.
    2) Show some friends and explain why they're doing it. Bet them money when they don't believe it.
    3) Show them the newscientist article on this.
    4) Profit!!!!!!

  12. Re:What about cat parasites controlling humans? by iminplaya · · Score: 3, Funny

    I suppose if it made you more passive, it would be called Toxoplasma gondhi.

    Thankyouverymuch.

    --
    What?
  13. Alternate theories by wrenhunter · · Score: 3, Funny
    > will cause a rat to become reckless and unafraid of cat smells ... so that it will likely be killed, infect the cat responsible and carry on the cycle...

    Or it will torment the cat using various tricks, tripwires, and other items. In rare cases, it will even involve other members of its genus (i.e. "country cousins"). Cf. "Anvils and ironing boards in the rodent-cat dialectic", authors Tom and Jerry.

    In rare cases, the cat becomes immune to death, so that the rodent can torture it indefinitely (e.g. "Amateur surgery at Mouse Hospital" by Dr. Itchy).