I’ve written the cover story for the new November issue of National Geographic about the biology of parasite manipulation. I’ve been obsessed by this subject for a long time. (In my book Parasite Rex I wrote a chapter on this bizarre slice of reality). So it’s a huge delight to help give these mind-controllers the Nat Geo treatment: gorgeous pictures. When I wrote Parasite Rex, I gathered up what photos I could find, but none of them did the parasites justice. Anand Varma has journeyed to a number of countries to find the creepiest examples of this surprisingly common (and medical useful) phenomenon.
Anand and I will be speaking at the National Geographic Society in Washington DC about the story and photos on October 29. Please join us. Details are here.