Parasites That Can Control Insect Minds

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."

Comments

Why the article?

[most_unique_name]

from TFA: the "mechanisms underlying this intriguing parasitic strategy remain poorly understood, generally", [Biron] says.

Why is it that scientists are quick to publish results they don't understand? I'd much rather read about this in six months or a year when they have more details and practical uses.

Re:Why the article?

[jimktrains]

Sometime the mechinsim is not the important part; just the discovery. What if Newton didn't publish gravity because he didn't understant the mechignism by which it works?

Over here in the UK....

[FyRE666]

We call these things "politicians".

That is amazing.

[hungrygrue]

That is just incredible, especially when you think about the fact that it is able to control multiple species. Wow. It would be very interesting to see if other species not as closely related would behave in the same way, various beetles, for instance.

Answer IS in article

[pin_gween]

From TFA you quote (right after your quote, no less)

Now Biron and his colleagues have shown that the worm brainwashes the grasshopper by producing proteins which directly and indirectly affect the grasshopper's central nervous system.

Re:What about cat parasites controlling humans?

[jlo]

Stop spreading FUD against cats. You can get toxoplasmosis by eating raw meat or fresh feces, not just infected cat's, but any mammal's. Eating poorly cooked meat is the most common way of getting toxoplasmosis. It can be dangerous to people with weakened immune system, e.g. people with HIV, young babies and fetuses. For most healthy people (and cats) toxoplasmosis infection will go away on its own without any symptoms.

Toxoplasmosis is not especially nasty disease. The infection can be easily prevented. The world is filled with much nastier contagious diseases that you should be afraid of more than toxoplasmosis, e.g. rabies. Are you next suggesting of "STOPPING" dogs. Dogs are the principal host of rabies in many parts of the world. I hope not, or eventually you probably end up "STOPPING" humans too.

Re:Parasites Controlling Insects?

[typical]

You know, I figured that the single good thing about GWB getting office (particularly with Cheney as VP) is that the oil companies would be in heaven and the public would at least have good gas prices. Instead, gas prices have gone to hell in a handbasket. Yes, some of that really cannot be laid at Bush's feet, but dammit, it's still sad.