[HN Gopher] "Zombie cicadas" infected with mind-controlling fung...
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"Zombie cicadas" infected with mind-controlling fungus return to
West Virginia
Author : wglb
Score : 89 points
Date : 2020-08-01 20:15 UTC (1 days ago)
(HTM) web link (www.cbsnews.com)
(TXT) w3m dump (www.cbsnews.com)
| dsun179 wrote:
| Scrolljacking, history hacking, background ads play with sound.
| What a shit of a website.
| cosarara wrote:
| And both a cookie warning with no easy privacy option (yes vs
| open settings) and an offer to install their app.
| marmshallow wrote:
| I agree it's a shit website, but I loaded it on Chrome with
| uBlock Origin and I don't have scrolljacking (scrolling seems
| fine), history hacking (my back button works as expected), and
| no background ads at all.
| tyingq wrote:
| Similar parasitic fungus that "zombifies" ants:
| https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ophiocordyceps_unilateralis
|
| A similar storyline is also featured in the TV show Fortitude.
| The first two seasons are on Amazon Prime, but I haven't been
| able to find the third season in the US, despite it being a
| couple of years old now.
| vore wrote:
| What's really interesting about O. unilateralis is that it
| doesn't take over the host's brain, and instead controls the
| muscles directly:
| https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/2019/04/cordyceps...
| Using a type of fluorescent microscopy, researchers from
| Pennsylvania State University watched fungal colonization in
| ants from the gaster, the rear end of the abdomen, to the head
| --and found no trace of fungal cells in the brain. They coupled
| that information with computer algorithms to chart the movement
| of fungi as they formed a sort of tubular scaffolding within
| and around ants' muscle bundles. This suggests the
| fungus casts its mind control through bioactive compounds that
| interfere with the ant's nervous system and control hosts
| directly at the muscles, de Bekker says.
| saberdancer wrote:
| How would the fungus control the ant where he goes, attaching
| to a major vein on the underside of a leaf seems to either
| imply that the ant (brain) is affected to make the ant move
| to that location, or that fungus is capable of interpreting
| environment which seems quite unlikely.
|
| I find it far more likely that the full effect is quite
| complex, perhaps the fungus is able to create chemical
| "urges" in the ant which force him to leave the colony and go
| for undersides of the leaves, only to overwhelm the ant
| completely by controlling the muscles directly once it is in
| position to lock his mandibles on the leave until death.
| vmception wrote:
| Yeah I really wonder about the possibilities, like are
| there a bunch _more_ infected ants that never make it to
| the underside of the leaf or branch?
|
| Or is this fungi and symbiotic relationship really that
| .... intelligent ... in some capacity?
| odomojuli wrote:
| Interesting. I wonder how the fungus adapted to target cicadas
| which famously spawn only in prime years such as 17 or 19 to
| avoid overlap with their predators.
| monadic2 wrote:
| Choose the non-teleolgical version: what changes did the fungus
| or cicada mutate that allowed this integration of lifecycles?
| odomojuli wrote:
| Good point. I guess you'd have to throw out the assumption
| they're not vulnerable during that time since they spend the
| bulk of their lifespan in the fungal domain: underground.
| tomasreimers wrote:
| The mind-controlling--probably a better phrase for them is
| "behavior altering"--class of parasites are fascinating from an
| academic sense... and nightmare fuel from a day-to-day sense. Two
| additional cases which I remember studying in school are:
|
| (1) A parasitic worm which causes snails to climb to clearly
| visible positions so that birds can eat them. These snails are
| usually avoidant of those positions, and so this is clear
| behavior alteration.
| (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fkiL-v4X8w8)
|
| (2) A parasitic fungus which takes over ants, causing them to
| climb up high and then bite (!!! this means it can affect
| specific muscle movements) into a plant, before bursting from the
| body and spreading spores
| (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vijGdWn5-h8, apologies for the
| mildly dramatic nat-geo video)
|
| And for a good piece of sci-fi on the first-person experience of
| seeing others rapidly/inexplicably change behavior, check out
| [The Screwfly
| Solution](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Screwfly_Solution).
| (It's a good read intended as commentary on patriarchy, and it
| also uses a behavior altering piece of biology as a key plot
| device.)
|
| There is a part of me that wonders if there are things
| (viruses/bacteria/funguses) which effect human behavior. And if
| in 100/1000s of years into the future we'll look back and realize
| that some subset of maladaptive personality traits and/or mood
| disorders aren't something that simply "happen" to someone, but
| are instead explained by biology/chemistry we didn't have a good
| understanding of. The same way we now look at ancient Rome and
| say "yeah, their use of lead pipes definitely had some effect on
| their psychology".
|
| Then again, there is something deeply human to say "nah, we are
| fully in control of our psychology. These things only happen in
| simpler animals, and our more-complicated biology means this
| could NEVER happen to us".
| majkinetor wrote:
| > There is a part of me that wonders if there are things
| (viruses/bacteria/funguses) which effect human behavior.
|
| Ofc there are. For one, its well known that certain worms can
| affect kids in such way that they become hyperactive.
| simion314 wrote:
| About Romans, they intentionally put lead in wine for the
| taste, I am not sure if they also used lead pipes or cups.
| asveikau wrote:
| The word plumbing is derived from the Latin word for lead
| (plumbum). Latin dictionaries also list the word for lead as
| a synonym for pipe. I think they did use lead pipes.
| simion314 wrote:
| Thanks, I never made the connection between the
| plumbum(lead is called plumb in my native language) and
| plumbing. Anyway to confirm this I done some searching and
| yes, romans)and others) had plumbing and running water and
| used lead pipes too(though the lead in wine gives you much
| more poisoning where pipes are toxic only in certain
| circumstances)
|
| https://www.quora.com/Did-Roman-Byzantine-plumbing-extend-
| to...
|
| https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_lead_pipe_inscription
| philiplu wrote:
| For a more recent sci-fi treatment, check out "The Girl With
| All The Gifts" by M. R. Carey,
| https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17235026-the-girl-
| with-a.... A scary dystopian near-future tale of Ophiocordyceps
| unilateralis infecting humans.
| dstroot wrote:
| Good book - recommended sci fi if you are into that sort of
| thing.
| tyingq wrote:
| Pretty great movie as well. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki
| /The_Girl_with_All_the_Gifts_...
| jdmichal wrote:
| It's suspected that the entire stereotype of "lazy and stupid
| southerners" (in the US) was actually hookworm infections. This
| one not necessarily behavior altering, but just drastic
| malnutrition that eventually also affected brain function.
|
| https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/article/how-a-worm-gave-the-so...
| drdeadringer wrote:
| I remember a RadioLab podcast episode related to this.
| staplers wrote:
| Looking at the replies to this comment, I can say you are
| correct on your last point.
| maybe-idiot wrote:
| Researchers have found correlations between certain infections
| and certain mental illnesses, and have speculated the
| infections may cause (at least partly) the mental illnesses.
| After reading the book Infectious Madness, I think causality is
| dubious. https://www.psychiatrictimes.com/view/infectious-
| agents-schi...
|
| Edit: but then again I believe causality has been established
| between kidney infections and cognitive impairment
| dweekly wrote:
| It's not a theoretical concern. Take toxoplasmosis, which
| affects nearly half the human population and has measurable
| effects on human behavior.
|
| https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2526142/
| feikname wrote:
| Correlation doesn't prove causation though.
|
| From the article linked:
|
| > Alternate explanations for the effects of T. gondii on
| humans cannot be ruled out. It is possible, eg, that
| individuals with certain personality characteristics behave
| in a manner that makes it more likely that they will become
| infected.
| hluska wrote:
| Here's some anecdata for you!!
|
| I hated cats until we got our first. At the time, I was in
| the midst of deep situational anxiety - a few days before
| we had just found out that a nuchal scan on my daughter
| detected a possible abnormality.
|
| That was a situation I had absolutely no control over but I
| tend towards being obsessive. As my anxiety increases, I
| get more and more obsessive.
|
| Bitey became the focus of that. Having a new little kitten
| gave me something to focus on aside from my fears.
|
| Today, my daughter is four. Everything turned out great and
| she's just the most wonderful little person I've ever met.
| But now I'm designing a cat tower with a fountain.
|
| I don't know if I have toxoplasmosis but if I did, that
| would sound like I'm a crazy cat middle aged dude. But, I
| was obsessive before and now I just love cats.
|
| Or I'm in denial. It's your choice!! :)
| andi999 wrote:
| I was thinking about toxoplasmosis as well. Another example
| is syphilis (std), it is reported to lead in a certain phase
| to extremely good mood, which helps transmission.
| tuesdayrain wrote:
| Toxoplasmosis being commonly carried by cats is one of the
| main reasons I will never own one. I am certain it's not a
| coincidence that cat scratches are associated with
| depression.
|
| https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4700762/
| Johnjonjoan wrote:
| Interesting. I am not so certain. Scratching tends to
| happen when you play fight with a cat. I would expect
| people who could be described as depressed would care less
| about being scratched by a cat than those that aren't and
| are therefore more likely to be scratched.
|
| Also the conclusion of the study you linked is that
| toxoplasmosis isn't linked to depression but scratching is.
| I found this unexpected given the wording of your post.
|
| Edit: also when you clip a cat's claws it can't really
| scratch you. I'd also assume someone who can be described
| as depressed is less likely to clip or get their cats claws
| clipped often enough to prevent scratches.
| hhas01 wrote:
| Fairly sure that even thinking of clipping a cat's claws
| is the dictionary definition of "scratched all to f#ck".
|
| I'd also suggest that the toxo-inflicted depression will
| be offset by the many added joys of being personally
| owned by a furry, purry, and only occasionally--ow,
| sharp!--bundle of utterly adorable fluff. Which is to
| say, humans are a bit more complex than ants, thus
| effects will be a lot less clear-cut.
| celrod wrote:
| Note that the article supports your point:
|
| the number of cats at home had a negative effect on
| depression (p = 0.021).
|
| Suggesting that getting a cat is a good idea for someone
| concerned about depression. Of course, it may be that
| depressed people are less willing to take on the
| responsibility of pet ownership.
| makapuf wrote:
| Interesting, but the phrasing means that the more cats
| you have the less subject to depression you are ?
| Johnjonjoan wrote:
| Thanks for the chuckle. I agree with your suggestion.
| cityroasted wrote:
| It is much easier to clip my cat's claws than my
| Chihuahua's. I think it depends on the cat.
| Covzire wrote:
| It's also extremely overblown. Even if a cat has
| toxoplasmosis, it's not contagious unless the cat is very
| sick itself and even then only through its' feces, which I
| suppose could get on a cat's claws, but for your normal
| healthy indoor/outdoor cat it's a non-issue.
| xkcd-sucks wrote:
| Cat poops, cat buries poop with hind feet, cat gets
| picked up, cat hears a scary noise and digs back claws
| into your chest shoulders and head as it climbs over you
| to escape
| cutemonster wrote:
| indeed they do, and many many times over the years, if
| growing up with one
|
| And they're fluffy and cute and a nice friend :-)
| grawprog wrote:
| I'm not sure, I never really thought about it much until
| my grandma. Her whole life she vehemently hated cats,
| literally believed they stole souls of babies. Black cats
| were just unthinkable to her. She'd never lived in a
| house with cats pretty much her entire life.
|
| She ended up moving in with my aunt when she couldn't
| look after herself any more. My aunt had a small black
| cat. At first my grandma hated it. She was terrified of
| it, would shoo it away, kick him outside and stuff. But
| after a few months of living there, out of nowhere like a
| switch had been flipped, she suddenly loved that cat.
| She'd spend hours watching TV with him on her lap, would
| go looking for him to give him treats, would get
| concerned if he was outside too long, that cat became one
| of her favourite things.
|
| I mean maybe she just had a change of heart after a
| lifetime of ingrained hatred and fear, but her attitude
| towards pretty much everything else never really changed.
| foobiekr wrote:
| I've been curious for awhile and have failed to find
| references to how quickly the body clears toxoplasma gondii;
| I have read on and off about the vaccine work there, and it
| seems that once you've been infected re-infection does not
| occur.
|
| It's surprisingly hard to find papers on clearance, but also
| hard to find papers on long term effects vs. effects while
| actively infected.
| lima wrote:
| Toxoplasmosis is a chronic infection that is never fully
| cleared from the body. There is some evidence that the
| length of the infection correlates with strength of
| symptoms.
| foobiekr wrote:
| Ah. That does explain it.
| sleepyshift wrote:
| "This Is Your Brain on Parasites" is a fantastic book on this -
| https://www.amazon.co.uk/This-Your-Brain-Parasites-Manipulat...
| [deleted]
| xoxoy wrote:
| I take it you haven't played "Last of Us"? It's quite literally
| the entire premise of the game (what if Cordyceps infected
| humans?)
|
| Funnily enough that game has probably taught more people about
| zombie fungi than biology textbooks.
| tomasreimers wrote:
| I have not haha, although maybe I should :)
| ShamelessC wrote:
| They're making an HBO show for it too by the creator of
| Chernobyl. It's a fantastic story and I'm glad more people
| will experience it.
|
| The sequel just came out as well. Without saying too much,
| it was "controversial" to a lot of people seemingly aligned
| with bigotry but I thought it was amazing.
|
| To others: If this were reddit, the mere mention of the
| game would spark outrage. I'm not sure if that will happen
| here but I see an alarming amount of hate speech here these
| days so I'll just say - I'm not accusing literally everyone
| who hated the game of being a bigot, but there sure were a
| lot of them.
| tyingq wrote:
| Thanks for sharing. The HBO produced Chernobyl is one of
| a very few _" really, really good"_ things I've ever
| watched. It kept my attention, my wife's, and my kid's.
| And we are very different people, with vastly different
| interests.
| hirundo wrote:
| Humans certainly get infected with mind-controlling memes. How
| sure are we that there aren't fungal/bacterial/viral sources of
| change to human behavior? Maybe an infection could make us more
| peaceful or warlike, authoritarian or laissez-faire, pious or
| agnostic, obedient or obstinate. Political and religious
| movements sure seem to spread like biological infections. I
| wonder if there are epidemiological measures that could tell the
| difference. Velocity of spread could be discriminator, but you'd
| have to test that on populations that are culturally but not
| physically isolated and visa versa, which is a tall order.
| [deleted]
| [deleted]
| Johnjonjoan wrote:
| Like toxaplasmosis? We don't really like entertaining these
| things because our identities are very attatched to the idea of
| free will.
| aurelianito wrote:
| Toxoplasmosis is known to promote risky behavior in infected
| people.
| 7373737373 wrote:
| This pandemic seems to provide pretty great conditions for
| conducting such studies, say using Facebook datasets if these
| were academically accessible.
| 1propionyl wrote:
| They are (or were) academically accessible. Remember the
| Cornell/Facebook study on emotional contagion?
|
| It's not a matter of whether the study could be done. It's a
| matter of it being incredibly unethical to do it.
|
| Signing up for Facebook is not sufficiently informed consent
| for these sorts of studies.
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