Perhaps higher cognitive functions will be hard to manipulate (at least -the cognitive functions that think they are higher) but one can imagine the havoc that would happen in North America if a parasite was developed that decreased the craving for sugar or for angry pundits on TV. It would be the end of the world as we now know it.
I'm sure that Eugene has a much wiser take on this.
On 1/23/06, Biella Coleman <[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote:
Udhay Shankar N wrote:
> http://www.corante.com/loom/archives/2006/01/17/the_return_of_the_puppet_masters.php
>
> January 17, 2006
>
> The Return of the Puppet Masters
>
> Posted by Carl Zimmer
>
> Are brain parasites altering the personalities of three billion people?
> The question emerged a few years ago, and it shows no signs of going
> away.
>
I remember reading something similar (perhaps by the same writer) in
Science a while back. I recall being surprised (and disturbed) but also
not all that surprised. While science/medicine has sort of declared the
bacteria and parasite as conquered, a thing of times past, solved
compared to viruses and genetics, accounts like this one reminds us that
there is clearly more than meets the eye when it comes to these
obstenibly well-understood organisms.
I look forward to seeing the tide of medicine and science change to
re-examine these creatures once again..
biella
>
