Carl Zimmer plays defense lawyer, trying to exonerate parasites for their wrongs, while Jad and Robert argue in defense of the victims. Our producer Lulu Miller comes in to moderate a lightning round of: "Parasites: are they evil, or are they awesome?" The parasites in question are the zombie wasp, the nematode, and the lovey-dovey blood fluke.
Comments [13]
To Amy from Florida:
The song is 'You Do Something to Me' by Dean Elliot And His Big Band
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oWt060TrBys
Used Shazam to Identify it, you should try it out
http://www.shazam.com/
Definitely helped me to think out of the box.
I was really left hanging with the victim of the blood flukes. "OK, you've got blood flukes. You feel terrible. You picked them up 40 years ago in Africa." What then? Does the person die, is there a treatment, or are they doomed to feeling lousy for the rest of their miserable life?
The "parasites" episode, was my first ! Now a veteran Radio Lab junkie. I have
officially"downloaded" every podcast and can not wait for my next fix ! - Shocky
My sympathies to Mr. Jasper Lawrence for the suffering he endured and kudos for his resourcefulness and courage in
inflicting upon himself his hookworm treatment. However by his methods he has unwittingly mimicked the limitations of conventional medicine, which cures few of us and instead replaces one disease with another disease or set of side effects. Parasitic infestation unfortunately is not health. Perhaps Mr. Jasper and listeners may be interested in learning more about alternative systems of healing which strengthen people so that they need not harbor either allergies or parasites.
At the very end of this clip, but only in the full version, there is a goofy, big band song played - what is it? It sounds like something Spike Jones would do, with all the different sound effects. Please please please give the music credits???
I am very interested in the link between Toxoplasma infection and schizophrenia being my mother has schizophrenia and my sister and I both have seizures. I think I will be looking into this further out of pure curiosity. Anyone with any information or comments along this topic, please feel free to post back. Love to hear 'em...
I did really enjoy this episode. But I wanted to see the pictures, and the links are all broken, except the ant one.
This show just blew my mind!! I just finished listening on my local NPR station, and I have to commend RL on one of the best shows I've ever listened to. I have been a severe asthmatic/allergic to pollen and season changes for about 23 years (since I was 2), and I found the piece on hookworms to be particularly intriguing, educational, fascinating, bizarre and amazing. Thanks for a great show... Now I have to track down Jasper to buy myself some parasites!
Great program. I was fascinated and have been telling everyone about the intelligent, brain surgeon wasp and the loving worm all week.
Yep; one of the best episodes of RL so far.
I caught this piece on my car radio during a bout of indecision about where to get lunch. I got so caught up in this very funny piece that I drove - slowly - to 4 or 5 different lunch spots, more from the desire to just listen to the piece than the desire to eat. The parasites are definitely smarter & more efficient.
I read Parasite Rex, and I highly recommend it, to anyone who is interested in this topic.
That said, I would love to hear the entire interview with Carl Zimmer, he's always fascinating.
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