Jenny and Erin

Do you ever have uncharacteristic urges to act outside of your typical norm? Like something has taken over your brain and is controlling your thoughts and actions? Thankfully you are not an insect, otherwise you might be infested with the Cordyceps fungus which no amount of awareness or intentional change of habits can rid you of.

Cordyceps is a particularly nasty parasitic fungus that attacks arthropods and insects, such as ants, butterflies and beetles. After attaching to the host’s body it finds it’s way into their tracheal tube and works itself into the insect’s body and brain. As it grows the fungus absorbs the insect’s soft tissue, all the while keeping it’s vital organs alive. Eventually, the Cordyceps fungus takes over the hosts brain and has the host climb a plant and attach itself securely with its mandibles, or jaw.

After the host attaches to the plant, the fungus kills the mindless arthropod or insect so the fungus can do what else, but reproduce! This is the interesting part, to do this the Cordyceps sends out a shoot, similar to a plant, from the insect’s body, typically the head. The shoot can grow ten times taller than the now dead insect in anywhere from a day to a few weeks. It is an amazing sight. Spores then explode from the end of the shoot, thus propagating it’s own species. (Another parasitic species kills the insect by leading it to water where it jumps in and drowns. The parasite emerges and swims away.)

Interestingly, when insects of the same species, such as an ant colony, recognizes that one of their own is exhibiting odd behaviors they carry the sick insect to a distant location to die alone, thus keeping the fungus as far away as possible from their home. Cordyceps is treasured as a Chinese medicine; however after watching the video of the fungus sprouting from the Carpenter Ant’s head, I’m not too keen on ingesting it. Really, you should watch it.

Gives a new perspective on our manageable brain problems, huh?

Thanks to Dangerous Intersection for the inspiration.

When I flush the toilet I like to think everything is magically carried away. Don’t you? Yes, I know there are waste water treatment plants and a whole process behind disposal, but I still like to think my waste just magically disappears. Unbenownst to me, a lot of information can be garnered from your waste and Swiss scientists are taking advantage of it. I am not talking what you ate for breakfast or how well your colon is working, but something a bit more surprising.

Swiss scientists are doing the dirty job of using human sewage to study recreational drug usage. Wired magazine reports that for five months scientists used waste water from treatment plants in Milan, Italy and Lugano, Switzerland and tested it for illicit substances, including methamphetamines, cocaine, marijuana, heroin and morphine. What they found was that meth and cocaine use spike on Fridays and Saturdays and overall drug consumption was almost TWICE as high as official estimates.

For now, studies are limited to city treatment plants, but I wonder if they could specify the research to a neighborhood, or eventually a house. Would this be a violation of ones civil liberties? I wonder what other information our waste might hold. Who knew one day we may be fighting to keep our waste private!

For outhouse plans click here.

For related posts visit the Weird Science category.

Although we like to debate our origin, evolution and the role of a higher power, the basic tenant remains that we are part of the animal kingdom -regardless of how we got here. We are biological beings.

Reproduction is one of the main drivers of the animal kingdom. To ensure one’s genes survive, one wants to reproduce with the strongest and healthiest mate. Finding that mate is typically based on a quick gauge of another’s physical attributes. Really, when being chased across the savanna or through a jungle by a predator, who has the time to determine if you share interest?

Since humans are indeed animals, we have these signals as well. Some are so biologically ingrained that they have transcended time and have found their way into modern culture. We judge potential mates based on many of the same tenants.

Imagine you are belly up at your local pub. A lovely young woman enters the bar. She has long, blonde hair and is beautifully proportioned. She has large and perky breasts and a skirt that reveals sculpted legs and a behind. Every head in the bar turns. Why? Because biology beckons, not culture. Let me explain:

While research has found men rate “attractiveness” as the most important factor in determining appeal of one of the opposite gender, while women rated “commitment” as the most important factor. Think about it, men have millions of sperm, while women have a limited number of eggs. Pregnancy and child rearing is long and arduous, so women base more on longevity and security. This leads women to seek other things from a mate than their hair color and proportions. Women are looking for food, safety and protection. Is this why women’s heads still turn when a man in a nice car drives by? This is now our cultures signal for security.

This leads to questions regarding what is attractive. When you find that “soul mate” is it really someone who you can have deep, meaningful conversations with? Or is it just the person who biologically fulfills your needs, and your subconscious is just toying with you?

Related Posts:
More Than Skin Deep
Dealing With the Hand You Were Dealt

There’s beauty all around us; blossoming trees, the night sky flashing with lightening, or a loved ones face. When you stop and look around it is easy to be overcome with reverence at just what a tiny blip we are in the universe. The beauty in front of us is just a beginning. The deeper we look the more we see; the detail on a butterfly’s wing or the glimmer in another’s eye. Look even closer and find that flaws (our own included) not only have an inherent beauty but are perhaps the source of much of it. Nowhere is it easier to see just how deep beauty is and how fundamentally flaws add to it, than at the molecular level.

One of my absolute favorite sites is the Molecular Expressions Photo Gallery. Molecular biophysicist Michael Davidson photographs all kinds of molecules – from brains to beer and everything in between. His photos are incredible and humbling, showing a hidden world of mystery, beauty and complexity. As one writer noted when describing Davidson’s photographs, “In a touch of poetic justice, it’s the defects that reveal the most striking designs and patterns.” Davidson himself muses that “A flawless diamond would just look like a mirror under the microscope.” Seriously, check this site out! There are dozens of galleries to view but here are a few of my favorites:

• Beer;
• Vegetables; and
• Amino Acids.

In the late 1990’s he became interested in the underworld of computer technologists creating microscopic art on microchips. Strange, but true. These pieces of art have snuck their way into many of our computers and electronics. Some of my favorites are:

• The Buffalo Chip;
• The Norse God Thor (remember him from the corn post? He’s the god who married Sif, the corn goddess); and
• Starship USS Enterprise.

I’m not the only one interested in his work. In fact, Davidson sells these photos on a myriad of items and reinvests most of the proceeds into lab equipment at Florida State University and science education. And a lot of money it is, in the 1990’s over $1.5 million from necktie sales alone.

This beauty and complexity of his photos beg countless questions; questions scientists and spiritualist will probably argue for years. But me, that’s not my concern. I stand in awe of the beauty – albeit unexplainable, unknowable and yet, perfect in all its flaws. I hope you can keep beauty on a molecular level in mind when cataloging your “flaws”, they might just be the door to your greatest beauty.

Related Posts:
Dealing with the Hand You Were Dealt
What is Attractive?

How many times have you asked to compare hand sizes with someone your interested in just to feel the tingle of excitement? New lovers of all ages have done this and it is so instinctive it almost feels primal in nature. Why is it so universal? Maybe this sweet, almost childlike, ritual is connected to something deeper. In fact scientists argue that there are biological cues that can be gained from hand size, and finger length in particular. So, take your hand off your mouse and have a look at the length of your fingers. You’ll be surprised at what they have to tell you.

Dr. John Manning from the University of Liverpool has conducted research indicating that the length of your ring finger is indicative of numerous things, from your intelligence to your driving skills. Why does finger length matter? The length of your ring finger appears to be tied to prenatal levels of testosterone. High levels of testosterone as a developing baby causes ring finger to be longer and lower levels result in a shorter ring finger. This is true for both boys and girls, although the impacts differ slightly.

Okay, so you’ve looked at your ring finger by now. What is it telling you? First, the obligatory disclaimer, scientists have found strong correlations, so this research might not be totally true for everyone.

For men, a longer ring finger indicates:

• They are more aggressive;
• They have higher fertility levels;
• They have lower chances of having a heart attack and dyslexia; and
• They are more likely to be bisexual or homosexual.

For women, a longer ring finger indicates:

• They have better athletic abilities;
• They have lower fertility levels;
• They have lower chances of having breast cancer; and
• They are more likely to be bisexual or homosexual.

What constitutes a long ring finger? Compare the length of your ring finger to your pointer finger. If your ring finger is longer than your pointer finger, you got a lot of testosterone before you were born. If it is shorter, you received a lower dose of testosterone in the womb.

Hmmm. Next time you are on a date, having a conversation with your boss, or just wondering why your kids act the way they do, you may want to have a glance at their hands. And I recommend keeping yours firmly in your lap.

If your interested in reading more about these fascinating studies click here to order the book Digit Ratio: A Pointer to Fertility, Behavior and Health by Dr. Manning.