Well work is very quiet, which explains why there are more entries in the blog than usual. I am actually a little bit concerned of my position at work, as most of the workI do has become less and less.
One of the main directors has left the company, due to the low share price the company has become and the cost and payments have been taken over by a subsidiary. Thankfully I'm in the head group company, but the chances that we relinquish the control could still be a possibility. Whether the business decision to continuouly try to attract investors will be tough one to make. Their first task I believe would be to attempt to increase the share price and attract potential investors, allowing the opportunity for growth. How they do that I do not know to be honest. I'm just the accountant. :p
Anyway today's topic for discussion is a parasite that has the strangest of life cycles. The Lancet Liver Fluke. It starts from reproducing in the liver of a cow, before injesting its offspring into the feces of the cow. Upon which are then eaten by snails. The larvae inside the snail will drill a wall in their gut and settle for a while in their digestive tract. The snail's immune system will form a cyst from where it has settle and the cyst is then excreted out, from which an ant will digest. Again the lave will exit via the gut of the Ant and will then take control of the Ant's nervus system.
Here comes the most interesting part, at night the parasite takes control of the Ant and climbs to the top of a blade of grass, and stays there all night for a cow to digest. If no Cow digests it, the Ant is given back control for it to carry out it's daily tasks. And it will continuouly climb the blade of grass night after night. Incredible!
Now if you think about it that's a Zombie Ant! A parasite taking control at night. The reason why it won't control the ant during the day, is because of the heat of the sun would kill the Ant including the parasite. That's what you call a survival mechanism, but it seems like a crazy life cycle to continuously perform to survive in this world. The cow could be replaced with Sheep, Pigs, Goats, it seems any animal that has a gut and would eat grass.
It's fascinating to me that there is a parasite capable of controling another creatures habits and movements, soley for it's own gain to be injested. I suppose if you prefer to feed off other animals food and nutrients a cow would be a great host, and you can live out your days just eating and reproducing. Not a bad life indeed, but it seems like a hell of a process for survival. I suppose the cow will eventually die, therefore it needs to find a way for future generations to survive, but to travel between 3 different host, to eventually make it's way back into another cow, is just incredible.
The notion that it instinctly knows what it needs to do to survive, or an evolutionary process is mind boggling. Whether this parasite is able to adapt in this world, or just that the right conditions are met. The Cow, Snail and Ant living in tandem to create the life cycle possible for this parasite to exist. It boggles the mind, to think the number of species, creatures that are out there, but can not survive because certain conditions are not met, or that they are unable to survive/evolve or even adapt to different environments.
Also the notion that zombification is possible via a parasite. Imagine the parasite that is able to transfer to different hosts via biting another. The infected hosts are rage inducing zombies much like 28 days later. It is contagious to a massive degree and that quarantine is needed for many countries from a world wide epidemic. I know people seem to love the idea of a zombie apocalyspe. It's such an impossible crazy idea that it's a fantasy people would like to experience, not going to lie I'm one of those people. The notion of back to basics survival is at it's very core, human instinct.
I think because I'm at a stage in my life, where I'm going through the same routines and it's become quite mundane. A zombie apocalypse is most welcome in my eyes. lol. I can reassure you that I am quite sane.
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