This struck me as extremely interesting and just so damned weird!

[Spartacus Maximus XL]

http://www.skeptic.com/podcasts/

I was perusing Skeptic.com and decided to listen to a podcast called "Monster Talk" as "Zombie Antpocalypse" caught my eye. The hosts interviewed an expert on ants ... it seems there's a fungus in the jungle that takes over an ant's mind and causes it to to do something it would never do: permanently clamp down with its mandibles on the underside of a leaf ... it then is killed and consumed by the fungus. How the hell does the fungus make that ant do that?!!

Then he says there's a brain parasite spread by rats to cats then to HALF of all humans that is incurable and causes humans to act more aggressively than normal -- in essence, the parasite starts controlling OUR minds! The parasite first causes rats to lose their fear of cats (it alters the mind and thus the behavior of the rat for its own benefit) and actually become attracted to cat urine, and they then get eaten by the cats, and the parasite is spread to humans from contact with cats.

I found a source on the web that also discusses this brain parasite. http://www.livescience.com/7253-bizarre-human-brain-parasite-precisely-alters-fear.html Bizarre Human Brain Parasite Precisely Alters Fear

And the embedded links: http://www.livescience.com/933-study-cat-parasite-affects-human-culture.html Study: Cat Parasite Affects Human Culture

http://www.livescience.com/7019-mind-control-parasites.html Mind Control by Parasites

Why isn't stuff like this on my TV news instead of the $&@!# Kardashians? Too creepy?

[arcane1]

1. I've heard of the ant fungus thing before; the brain parasite seems similar to rabies

Natural Selection at its best or worst, depending on whether you're the ant or the fungus

[Ron Obvious]

2. Wow I just heard about that a couple of hours ago

It was mentioned in the Skeptic's Guide to the Universe podcast as well. As the show was recorded on April 1, it had me wondering a bit.

Apparently infected men become more paranoid, aggressive and scruffy in their appearance, whereas women become more social than ever.

I wonder now if this is an orchestrated April fools meme in sceptical podcasts, but I really have no idea.

On edit: twice I wrote 'before' when I meant to write 'become more'. My brains are softening.

[Recovered Repug]

3. That's why I'm a dog person.

It's not surprising that cat's will end up being responsible for the zombie apocalypse.

[patricia92243]

4. Ohhh - you are in trouble now - lol. You will have half of DU down your

neck not long from now

[HappyMe]

5. I'm a dog person too.

[In_The_Wind]

6. rut roh

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