Parasites should take a lesson from symbiotes and not kill their hosts like dumbasses.
đđđ
Submitted â¨â¨3⊠â¨weeks⊠ago⊠by â¨MataVatnik@lemmy.world⊠to â¨science_memes@mander.xyzâŠ
https://lemmy.world/pictrs/image/6135c19c-0c8d-48f0-9400-4b7729ec7ed7.jpeg
Comments
Kolanaki@pawb.social â¨3⊠â¨weeks⊠ago
Kitathalla@lemy.lol â¨3⊠â¨weeks⊠ago
So, interesting and maybe-not-so-fun fact? Most parasites that kill their hosts do so without caring because they can survive elsewhere. We call it a reservoir of infection.
REALLY fun fact, thereâs some cool life cycles involved. You remember our old friend anthrax? One of its favorite tricks is killing its host, the zebra. When it dies, the anthrax bacteria go down into the soil beneath the corpse, and put on a fresh new coat of paint and open up shop again. Only, this time, they act as a super friendly bacteria that participates in the nitrogen cycle and ensure that the plants in the soil can get everything theyâd ever want out of that oh-so-convenient zebra corpse rotting away up above. Why do they do this? Because in their âfriendlyâ infection of the plants growing (oh, did I forget to mention what plants they infect/cooperate with? Itâs grass), they get offered right up to the hungry mouths of the next zebra to come along and see an exceptionally vibrant area of green grass.
bane_killgrind@slrpnk.net â¨3⊠â¨weeks⊠ago
I would watch this sequel to osmosis jones
nichtburningturtle@feddit.org â¨3⊠â¨weeks⊠ago
Host gets eaten by even bigger potential host. Itâs hosts all the way up.
OldManBOMBIN@lemmy.world â¨3⊠â¨weeks⊠ago
But if, as they say, âitâs elephants all the way down,â while simultaneously being larger and larger hosts all the way up, as youâve postulated here, then that must mean that⌠I donât know. Something. Something wonderful.
Or terrifying SCARY MUSIC
nichtburningturtle@feddit.org â¨3⊠â¨weeks⊠ago
Assuming that the growth on both sides is identical, it would mean that once you put the flat Earth on its side it would be balanced, as all things should be.
xwolpertinger@lemmy.world â¨3⊠â¨weeks⊠ago
Parasitoids: Iâll do it again
stebo02@lemmy.dbzer0.com â¨3⊠â¨weeks⊠ago
reminds me of a certain US presidentâŚ
Welt@lazysoci.al â¨3⊠â¨weeks⊠ago
If it kills the host, itâs not a very successful parasite, or itâs a parasitoid as only one other commenter has picked up. Itâs not in parasitesâ interest to kill their hosts, it usually happens when they infect a non-preferred host and the system responds differently, like the pork tapeworm Taenia solium which doesnât kill pigs but can be lethal in humans.
Agent641@lemmy.world â¨3⊠â¨weeks⊠ago
A superior parasite would keep the host alive for hundreds of years past itâs normal lifespan, while ensuring that nothing of the host survives.
Bytemeister@lemmy.world â¨3⊠â¨weeks⊠ago
Nope. Evolution doesnât really work like that. A âsuccessfulâ organism simply needs to have offspring capable of producing more offspring. In the case of a parasite, it just needs to keep the host alive long enough to infect another host. Anything more than that and you start running into quality vs quantity issues. A longer living, self limiting parasite isnât going to reproduce as fast (as size longevity goes up, reproductive rates generally go down)
A fast acting, highly transmissible parasite is generally going to outcompete slower parasites.
Generica@lemmy.world â¨3⊠â¨weeks⊠ago
Leopards meet face
MataVatnik@lemmy.world â¨3⊠â¨weeks⊠ago
Parasites ate my face (I love rimming)
Generica@lemmy.world â¨3⊠â¨weeks⊠ago
Everybody Loves Rimming starring Ray Romano and Jeff Stryker
Ketchup@reddthat.com â¨3⊠â¨weeks⊠ago
Surprised Pikasite
redwattlebird@lemmings.world â¨3⊠â¨weeks⊠ago
On a similar note, I visited the medical museum in Bangkok today and it had a whole section on parasites. Iâll never be the same after having viewed that photograph of someone, cheeks spread, and with a pile of worms spilling out.
MataVatnik@lemmy.world â¨3⊠â¨weeks⊠ago
YarHarSuperstar@lemmy.world â¨3⊠â¨weeks⊠ago
Lol! Fair enough!
Swedneck@discuss.tchncs.de â¨3⊠â¨weeks⊠ago
meanwhile chad gut bacteria help us digest food and are actively vital to us being healthy
Yondoza@sh.itjust.works â¨3⊠â¨weeks⊠ago
They also quite demanding of what types of food to eat to the point where they make us crave what they crave.
psx_crab@lemmy.zip â¨3⊠â¨weeks⊠ago
No, gut bacteria, iâm not eating fries, this is the third times of the day you want fries!
Swedneck@discuss.tchncs.de â¨3⊠â¨weeks⊠ago
it is generally good to eat the things that your gut can digest