100 words 081

Dicrocoelium dendriticum is a parasite that infects cattle by manipulating ants.

Once the parasite has been ingested by an ant, it compels the ant to climb to the top of a blade of grass every evening until together, they are ingested by a passing ruminant.

I wonder if the ant thinks that it decided to climb that blade of grass.

Humans are hosts to many microbes. A typical human carries ten times more bacterial DNA than human DNA: about 100 trillion bacteria.

We think that we decide to explore. But perhaps a human being is just a microbe’s space programme.

Have you published a response to this? :

Responses

4 Likes

# Liked by Vivian Curry on Friday, June 12th, 2015 at 3:34am

# Liked by Charles Stanhope on Saturday, June 13th, 2015 at 3:49pm

# Liked by Neil Osman on Tuesday, June 16th, 2015 at 3:50pm

# Liked by Matthias Ott on Tuesday, June 16th, 2015 at 3:50pm

Previously on this day

11 years ago I wrote Designing for the street

The death and social life of great American cities’ small urban spaces is here for you to use.

13 years ago I wrote That media

Wrapping up the London leg of @media.

18 years ago I wrote Once more into the breach

I’m out of here… again.

18 years ago I wrote Apple - Switch

It looks like Apple are getting serious about converting the masses.