A Talk on Mind-Controlling Parasites

The natural world is full of sinister, mind-controlling parasites that turn rats into cat-seeking vehicles, caterpillars into head-banging bodyguards, cockroaches into dogs on a leash, and shrimps into sociable flamingo-food.

I’ve been writing about these creatures for many years and in March, I got to speak about them at a great event called the Lost Lectures. Six speakers from different backgrounds gather at a secret (and very cold) venue, announced days beforehand, to give informal talks about things they love. We had 3-D printing, jelly-making, maps and more.

The talk has finally been posted online. Hope you enjoy it.

Ed Yong: ‘Reality Check – Parasites and Mind Control’ from The Lost Lectures on Vimeo.

More on parasites:

• Mind-Bending Parasite Permanently Quells Cat Fear in Mice
• Parasites Make Their Hosts Sociable So They Get Eaten
• Mind-controlling virus forces parasitic wasp to put all its eggs in one basket
• Liquefying virus uses one gene to make caterpillars climb
• Pocket science – ancient death-grip scars
• The wasp that walks cockroaches
• Parasitic wasp turns caterpillars into head-banging bodyguards