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Bizarre science story (NRR)

motown67motown67 4,513 Posts
edited April 2007 in Strut Central
Why are cats good at catching rats and mice? Is it because they are natural hunters? No, it's because of a new found parasite.Did anyone catch this story earlier this week on NPR about a new parasite that scientists found and that was written about in a science journal?They found this microbial size parasite that lives in rats and mice but can ony reproduce in cats' stomachs.The parasite starts in a rat or mice's stomach and works its way up into the brain where it crates cysts all over the part of the brain that deals with fear and paranoia. What the cysts do is make rats and mice attracted to cat piss, so when they smell some, instead of their brain telling them to flee because it's a sign of a natural predator, the rats/mice actually go looking for more. This of course, makes them easy targets for any lurking cats.When the rats/mice get injested by the cats they get into the stomach which is the only place they can reproduce. After reproduction they get shitted out the cat where they hope to be eaten by a rat or mouse to start the process all over again.After hearing this story I felt like I needed to dash off an important e-mail to Anthony Bordain who is known for travelling around the world and eating bizare dishes. Don't eat cats, rats of mice on your next trip! You might end up hanging out in alley ways looking for cat piss!!!

  Comments

  • The_NonThe_Non 5,691 Posts
    Read "Survival of the Sickest".
  • ariel_calmerariel_calmer 3,762 Posts
    Please don't post stories like this when people are high. It's unnerving.
  • bthavbthav 1,538 Posts
    Read "Survival of the Sickest".



    sounds pretty bad.
  • hemolhemol 2,578 Posts
    Why are cats good at catching rats and mice? Is it because they are natural hunters? No, it's because of a new found parasite.


    Did anyone catch this story earlier this week on NPR about a new parasite that scientists found and that was written about in a science journal?

    They found this microbial size parasite that lives in rats and mice but can ony reproduce in cats' stomachs.

    The parasite starts in a rat or mice's stomach and works its way up into the brain where it crates cysts all over the part of the brain that deals with fear and paranoia. What the cysts do is make rats and mice attracted to cat piss, so when they smell some, instead of their brain telling them to flee because it's a sign of a natural predator, the rats/mice actually go looking for more. This of course, makes them easy targets for any lurking cats.

    When the rats/mice get injested by the cats they get into the stomach which is the only place they can reproduce. After reproduction they get shitted out the cat where they hope to be eaten by a rat or mouse to start the process all over again.

    After hearing this story I felt like I needed to dash off an important e-mail to Anthony Bordain who is known for travelling around the world and eating bizare dishes. Don't eat cats, rats of mice on your next trip! You might end up hanging out in alley ways looking for cat piss!!!
    Thanks for the knowledge.
  • The_NonThe_Non 5,691 Posts
    Read "Survival of the Sickest".



    sounds pretty bad.

    I've read it, it's good ya bastard.
    Perhaps by bad, you meant bad ass, then sure.
  • bthavbthav 1,538 Posts
    heres the npr audio:

    http://216.35.221.77/templates/story/story.php?storyId=9560048


    pretty cool stuff. thanks for the heads up.
  • bthavbthav 1,538 Posts
    Read "Survival of the Sickest".



    sounds pretty bad.

    I've read it, it's good ya bastard.
    Perhaps by bad, you meant bad ass, then sure.



    *hijackery alert*

    all the arguments ive hurd about this are not very convincing.

    im down with not taking pain killers for headaches or sweating out a fever and letting your body do what its supposta do, but letting things like sickle cell anemia or diabetes run without medical intervention because it offers positive evolutionary advantages that offset the negative consequences of the disease is a little icegrill: for the sick IMO.

    ill check it out though... my nascent science mind uses my @$$ to communicate most of the time.
  • rootlesscosmorootlesscosmo 12,848 Posts
    Why are cats good at catching rats and mice? Is it because they are natural hunters? No, it's because of a new found parasite.


    Did anyone catch this story earlier this week on NPR about a new parasite that scientists found and that was written about in a science journal?

    They found this microbial size parasite that lives in rats and mice but can ony reproduce in cats' stomachs.

    The parasite starts in a rat or mice's stomach and works its way up into the brain where it crates cysts all over the part of the brain that deals with fear and paranoia. What the cysts do is make rats and mice attracted to cat piss, so when they smell some, instead of their brain telling them to flee because it's a sign of a natural predator, the rats/mice actually go looking for more. This of course, makes them easy targets for any lurking cats.

    When the rats/mice get injested by the cats they get into the stomach which is the only place they can reproduce. After reproduction they get shitted out the cat where they hope to be eaten by a rat or mouse to start the process all over again.

    After hearing this story I felt like I needed to dash off an important e-mail to Anthony Bordain who is known for travelling around the world and eating bizare dishes. Don't eat cats, rats of mice on your next trip! You might end up hanging out in alley ways looking for cat piss!!!



    holy shitballs. this story has my dome blown within the comfort of my own home.

    CURRENTLY CRAMMING TO UNDERSTANNING
  • SnagglepusSnagglepus 1,756 Posts
    Weird ant science is fun ...




    OR ...


    This one that sort of reminds me of the cat story in a "takin' over minds so your host will be eaten by the animal whose intestines you call home" kind of way.
  • covecove 1,567 Posts
    Why are cats good at catching rats and mice? Is it because they are natural hunters? No, it's because of a new found parasite.

    that doesn't mean you should downplay the fact that cats are excellent hunters!
  • SyminSymin 999 Posts
    that doesn't mean you should downplay the fact that cats are excellent hunters!
    my cat has its bird game, skunk game, lizard game, frog game, and squirrel game on lock.
    its working on its raccoon game too.

    hunting aside the bacteria science is amazing still.
  • DJ_EnkiDJ_Enki 6,475 Posts
    Weird ant science is fun ...




    OR ...


    This one that sort of reminds me of the cat story in a takin' over minds so your host will be eaten by the animal whose intestines you call home kind of way. [/quote">
    Heh, I just learned about damninteresting.com yesterday afternoon at work. That site is fucking dope (and aptly named).

    On the subject at hand, there's also the a href="http://www.damninteresting.com/?p=17]mind-controlling wasps and their zombie spiders. I remember hearing about the wasps/spiders a couple years ago and being at once fascinated and a little creeped out.
  • drewnicedrewnice 5,465 Posts
    How would this story relate to why a cat will chase a flashlight around the floor like it's a rat?
  • rogbrogb 172 Posts
    Ancient Greeks ate only fruit and lived up to 200 years.
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