As the year comes to a close, people are starting to puke. The notorious stomach bug known as norovirus is starting its annual rampage, which will last from late fall through winter. A couple years ago, in the midst of another norovirus season, I wrote about the virus’s spectacular biology on the Loom. Noroviruses (unlike the Ebola virus) are extraordinarily rugged, able to waft through the air and survive for days on surfaces where it can cause a new infection. In a scientific review, one CDC scientist went so far as to declare, “noroviruses are perhaps the perfect human pathogen.”

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Last night at the National Geographic Society in Washington, I gave a talk with photographer Anand Varma about how parasites manipulate their hosts–the subject of my cover story in the November issue of National Geographicand Varma’s aesthetic obsession for the past couple years. Along with his gorgeous photos, Varma also showed off some lovely/creepy videos. I thought I’d share a couple of them with you. Pop them into full screen for full appreciation.

Continue reading “For Your Halloween Viewing Pleasure: Two Mindsucker Movies”

Cutaway of influenza virus. Doug Jordan, CDC http://www.cdc.gov/flu/images.htm
A couple viruses are waving hello to the United States right now. Flu season is about to kick off, while people have been diagnosed with Ebola not just in Texas, but in New York. But there are some important differences between the two viruses that I explore inan article in today’s New York Times. Most importantly: there’s no evidence that Ebola spreads through the air like the flu.
Originally published October 24, 2014. Copyright 2014 Carl Zimme

The good folks at Radiolab have a new episode out. It’s on the many different senses of the word translation. The show ranges from vision-sensing tongue vibrators to high-level diplomatic misunderstandings. At the end of the show, I talk to Jad Abumrad about the most fundamental translation of all: the process by which our cells turn information in our DNA into proteins. Here’s the embedded episode. And for more, see my recent story for Nautilus.my recent story for Nautilus.my recent story for Nautilus.

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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.

Continue reading “This Month In National Geographic: Parasites and Their Zombies”