Mind-controlling Parasites!

Hank introduces us to some freaky parasites that use mind control to hijack the brains of their hosts.
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[@MysteriousAsteria]

It's important to note a few things about toxo and cats: first, not all cats have are infected with the parasite. Cats that stay in the house and only eat cooked meat have a much lesser risk of carrying the parasite. They also only shed it in their feces for a certain period of time after the infection and won't be infectious for all of their life. Second, for most people toxo isn't dangerous and many won't have any symptoms. That's usually the case for healthy people with a well functioning immune system, that can take good care of the parasite. Third: there are other ways one can be infected with the oocysts that don't require a cat, such as from soil or water that has been contaminated. Even some raw meat or unwashed fruits can be infectious. Wash your hands often, wash your fruits and vegetables well before consumption and you are good. And try not to eat raw meat. The infection is however very dangerous for pregnant women (well, the infant due to their lack of immunity) and those with a compromised immune system (such as organ transplant receivers and people with AIDS). Generally I dislike the emotion-driven dislike against cats and cat owners that stems from ignorance. Toxo is a serious thing, especially for risk groups, but some people let their stereotypes about "crazy cat ladies" go to their heads which isn't very beneficial in actually taking measures to prevent an infection or spread of the parasite. Plus, dogs can have just as many gross parasite to pass on to humans, such as the fox tapeworm. If it were just because of that, no one should ever be close to another animal or have a pet. The key, which should be more communicated, is to be more careful with hygiene, the handling of meat and foods in general and of course, keeping good care of your cat (if you have one). I found this site had useful tips: www.cdc.gov/parasites/toxoplasmosis/gen_info/faqs.html#spread

[@SR567895]

That sounds exactly like something that someone who was controlled by Toxoplasma Gondii would say.

[@kingdomambassador1904]

​@@SR567895VERY FUNNY BUT NOT🥳🦗😋

[@manu020702]

I can't look at my cat anymore

[@kingdomambassador1904]

Lol. Nooooo. He is INNOCENT❤

[@simpox94]

so if you get a cat you will get brainwashed to love cats even more?

[@JohnSmith-vl7zu]

Rowan Brooke-Jones INTERESTING, freak is talking on youtube, .... can I hear from Rowan Brooke-Jones PLEASE!!!! I want his opinion not opinion of freak brain washer inside Rowan Brooke-Jones

[@Edumt91]

Toxoplasmosis is also transmitted by birds like pigeons, so don't worry people, you can still get it even if you stay away from cats :D

[@SlifWon]

+Eduardo de Montenegro And kitty litter.. :O

[@13vatra]

So crazy cat ladies are actually being mind controlled?

[@MusicalInquisit]

3:46

[@13vatra]

+AnimatorGeorge hmm.. I actually missed that, I was writing my comment before the video ended.

[@mario__265]

AnimatorGeorge

[@theclockworkturtle4832]

"But little does it know that that poo has a baby little worm larvae in it that's going to hijack its brain, turn it into a zombie, and drive it's body around like a go-cart." That is both slightly horrifying and hilarious. XD

[@Donxster]

So that's how the bankers are doing it!

[@heatherhewitt3760]

Chris O'Rourke omg hahaha!!

[@fgvcosmic6752]

Those fat cats...

[@felice0miserable218]

And youtubers

[@Falloutfan1998]

I'm surprised he didn't mention Cordyceps.

[@otakucode]

I was surprised he didn't mention that toxoplasma gondii is the reason pregnant women are told not to change a cats litterbox and the effects toxo can have on fetuses.

[@Falloutfan1998]

otakucode Exactly what I was thinking.

[@grumpyhale821]

That was in a different video.

[@eedirb]

My parasitology professor played this in class~! I was so excited, I almost yelled "HANK!" when it began playing XD

[@emilyblack7342]

My mom got toxoplasmosis. It was in her eye, so she can't so very well out of that eye and now has practically no depth perception. She does not drive well now. And we have three cats.

[@tiantu9830]

Morgan Freeman Are you actually the one and only Morgan Freeman?

[@emilyblack7342]

Morgan Freeman the video was about mind controlling parasites. toxo is one of them. it maxes you take risks and love cats. my mom is a bad driver and we have three cats. I thought it was relevant.

[@sophierobinson2738]

Emily Black sure that isn't histoplasmosis, which you get from birds?

[@sophierobinson2738]

i am very fortunate not to have contracted histoplasmosis. I grew up in an area where it was endemic among birds.

[@cjgaming5732]

@George Tapp yu must wanna be venom r sumthing

[@whatthefrancium]

Notes from Scott Westerfeld's "Peeps": For some reason the trematodes always infect the snail's left eyestalk Birds never evolved to avoid the glowing snails because the trematodes do no harm to the birds.. About 50% of the human population has toxoplasma in their brains. It was observed that men with toxo -don't shave everyday -don't wear ties too much -don't like following social rules Women with toxo -like to spend money on clothes -tend to have a lot of friends -seem more attractive than non-infected women for some reason Researchers found that in general the infected are more interesting to be around. People without toxo -like following the rules -are more likely to pay back borrowed money -show up for work on time -the men get into fewer fights -the women have fewer boyfriends But maybe some people always hated going to work on time and realized that if cats had to go to work, they would be late too. They adopted cats and then got toxo. Maybe the other people got dogs who followed the rules. Fetch. Sit. Stay. Their brains stayed toxo free. But maybe not. Maybe the infected were already infected and were driven to get cats. Chicken or the egg?

[@WilmerNilsson]

I can not thank you enough for all of these videos. In biology im doing a work on epigenetics while im in english is about to hold a speech about parasites. Your videos help me so much. I THANK YOU A THOUSAND TIMES OVER

[@zionmoulder4422]

Wouldn't you just like to spoon a cat? lol

[@roberteospeedwagon1330]

Yes

[@JTKroll12]

did this remind anyone of animorphs?

[@GaroBlu]

Correlation does not imply causation! There was a great report in the last few months on some public radio show (radio lab maybe?) that compared competing arguments for and against Toxo related symptoms. There was even one that suggested that the parasite interferes with our perception of speed!

[@eschaton]

LOL "these little bastards".... *laptop covered in pepsi nasal mist*

[@Silhouex]

Amazing how much Hank has improved as a narrator these past few years.

[@ThatGuy11075]

Damn. I clean the cat litter everyday... Well I'm infected. THANKS TOXOPLASMA!

[@Lizwhynot]

Somewhere I once saw someone say that said if you've ever come into contact with cat feces through one means or another, you've got a 50% chance of developing schizophrenia. And then I began to twitch at the terrible misuse of statistics.

[@carolegyptienne]

I love cats but I don't eat cat poop!

[@bella50008]

Do you let them walk and sit on your kitchen counter and table? Yes. Then you are eating cat poop.

[@aboveyou00]

Crazy cat lady phenomenon...

[@corid.2197]

And I just watched the human parasites video...

[@teigjunge5805]

I won't be able to go to sleep for a week now, thanks Hank!

[@duperscreen811]

1:40 "I'll see you one of those, and... raise you, a hair-worm. These little... BASTARDS!..." Emotionally one of the most awesome sentences I've ever heard come out of Hank.

[@CrimsonUltrafox]

Reminds me of the Goa'uld...

[@wolfofminecraft9983]

AWWWW YEAAAH STARGATE FANS

[@CrimsonUltrafox]

XD Hell yeah!

[@joshbobst1629]

Why would that make us schizo? Wouldn't it just make us want to spoon with our cats?

[@sophierobinson2738]

as long as the cats don't have toxo-carrying rats to eat, they won't poop out toxo for humans to contract

[@KaraPoynter]

And there's also Dicrocoelium dendriticum, which is a parasite fluke that lives in cows. Cows poop the eggs with the larva, snails eat the eggs accidentally, then carry them along, then the eggs will exit the snail through its slime, then ants will eat the slime (because they love it) and then the dicrocoelium will take over their brain and make them climb up grass leaves and hold onto those leaves with their jaws so cows will eat them again when they graze.

[@Dr.Takosh]

And I was thinking about the anime Kiseijuu (Parasyte)

[@speedycpu]

I just sent this video to my mom, she has like 15 cats. email subject, BRAIN WORMS!! Yes, I'm such a wonderful son. :)

[@stephpearson8011]

Cat:*snuggles my face*. Me:Please don't give weird parasites

[@OriruBastard]

Well what I've read, the same parasite that affects rats can also affect humans by taking away fear and slowing us down by emiting some chemical in our brain that gives a slight sense of euforia. Thus the thing is pretty much fucking around with our brain chemistry. So while it might not "yet" give us direct orders, it certainly does make us less afraid and more careless about the danger.

[@NickLifts]

who else came here for information on cordyceps

[@burningombre]

That's one of the things I like about The Last of Us, there's actually an explanation on how the zombie epidemic is made. In other games it just "happens"...

[@NickLifts]

Hahahah right? Im glad they chose reliable sources, making the game even more realizing than it already is.

why cordiceps?

[@ultragreenyellow56]

what about the mushrooms that mind control a ant to go to a good rooting position and then turn the ant into a mushroom

[@ultragreenyellow56]

ultragreenyellow56 oh and btw the last of us kinda made this mushroom the reason of the fungal zombies but luckily in real life they only target ants

[@braxtonwhite947]

GAME THEORY

[@SlifWon]

+LagiNaLangAko23 Yes, just like fig wasps there are species of Cordycep that specialise in one specific ant or insect species. Little is still known about them and we have no idea how many species there are out there, but they're scary as hell lol. Them and Toxoplasma Gondii, I was hoping to see both in this video, terrifying organisms.

[@ivyhopebreeze]

love how there is an add for a movie about mind control with codes for this video

[@LearnedAndVile]

Now you have to wonder whether it's you who loves your cat or the wooorrrrrmmm......

[@bizmonkey007]

Glad I'm a dog person.

[@JohnSmith-vl7zu]

maybe you have a freak that wants you to love a dog ?!?!?

[@manawa3832]

dogs stink and are not loyal like cats

[@pikagirlpikagirl5665]

Dingo Egret nah my cat ran anway after the first day I got her

[@pikagirlpikagirl5665]

Dingo Egret My doggo saved me and my sister from this freaky guy who tried to kill us

[@arizaliit]

So u think dogs dont have parasites? Haha

[@FoxEnigma]

DAMN NATURE, YOU SCARY

[@educicchino]

You should make another episode or perhaps an erratum about the fungus that turns ants into zombies. That is really amazing. Keep up the good work man, your videos are absolutely brilliant!

[@jonlukasiewicz6305]

funniest Scishow Ep. Ever

[@marcobenigni8700]

WOW weird?!

[@GamingMasterAnthony]

sooo my parasitic worm in plague inc is one of the few to take over the brain? good to know... (I'VE GOT TO GET OUT OF HERE... THEY KNOW!!!!!!)

[@parasiticlightningscourgev6674]

Omg lol I have the free version of the game on my phone.

[@GamingMasterAnthony]

scourgevsfirestar lots of people have the free version.

[@parasiticlightningscourgev6674]

The full one is too expensive lol

[@GamingMasterAnthony]

scourgevsfirestar an animatronic fox is complaining about something too expensive, never thought that could happen. XD

[@parasiticlightningscourgev6674]

Ye' animitronnics have ye opinions too

[@-Sere-]

You forgot to mention the sugar addiction caused by a systemic yeast infection. Chronic obesity and bad acne caused by systemic yeast that ALSO makes you feel absolutely horrible when not consuming massive quantities of sugar, which has the wonderful side effect of lowering the immune system's defensive capability against said yeast by increasing the basic acidity of the body tissues (via massive amounts of sucrose which causes the kidneys to retain more water). Scary stuff, but all true.

[@enhaxed7839]

there's a bug called a jewel beetle (?) that's native to NA and first stings a particular kind of cockroach - paralysing only it's front legs, and then does a kind of brain surgery to it making it a zombie. It then lays it's eggs inside the cockroach and the larvae have fresh food when they hatch.

[@FredderickAnselmo]

anyone here played parasite eve?

[@Schatten2712]

but I love my cats :(

[@thanxbutno]

Toxo in the brain brain brain brain...

[@thanxbutno]

***** everything

[@liem11]

I have read of some research where the toxo parasite makes cat urine smell good to other mammals. This is why the rats are attracted to the cats. It also is speculated why certain people horde cats. Not surprisingly they were found to have high toxo levels in their systems.

[@earlandbob]

Oh my god. I got an advertisement for the new evil dead, and that combined with mind control parasites scared the crap out of me!!!

[@andrewmarshall5714]

yet another reason not to own a cat 😵

[@ScibbieGames]

youll just like your cat more xD xD xD

[@ZombieChan84]

Your chances of getting it are really low, especially if you don't let cat poop pile up everywhere. If you keep your house clean, then you have nothing to worry about. Ive owned cats before, I never went crazy....or did I

[@Weendigo172]

you are really channeling Geoff Goldblum in this episode, Hank!

[@MilA-eh3gf]

Yes they are brothers...They have a channel together called 'vlogbrothers' More on that matter, Hank hosts the monthly game show on Mental Floss.

[@Srindal4657]

Looks like im going to continue drinking oregano, ginger and clove tea. Its an immunity booster all across the board.

[@jamesleatherwood5125]

Oh man.. this topic with that weird fluttery greenscreen effect. If im looking at hank, all that movement in my peripheral vision just looks like creepy crawlies all moving around. Surprisingly effective combo, intended or not.

[@VanillahatVII]

There's a type of parasite that attaches to crabs and takes over the crab's mind. I forgot what it's called, but it feeds off the crab and makes the crab try to help the parasite eggs spread.

[@myasmindandbodymeditation2694]

This is the greatest episode of all!!! 😂

[@jadeeagle8038]

It actually bursts from the brain stem- the neck. Scientist have recently discovered like four other strains of this fungi, each of which targets specific types of insects. Its very fascinating.

[@TheAlmightyLoli]

Kept thinking of that.

[@Toastmaster_5000]

ya i've seen that one a few years ago, probably the most terrifying thing i've ever heard of that occurs naturally

[@TauxWau]

Radiolab podcasts on iTunes has an episode about this. There's research that suggests toxo leads to somewhat more reckless driving, and rash decisions.

[@warywolfen]

Cats really don't need any enticement to hunt and eat rats!

[@13vatra]

No, but the parasite makes the rat not fight it

[@cuylerhall4686]

Two parasite videos, one of which is about mind control, and no mention of Cordyceps? I think this would be a great topic! (Especially with the recent release of the PS3 game The Last of Us which is all about human cordyceps and that is a damns terrifying idea)

[@neoswillxx]

Tochukaso is a fungus in the real world that is an endoparasitoid that replaces the host tissue and can affect the behavior of its insect host. Paras is an insectoid creature resembling the nymph stage of a cicada, with the unique feature of having mushrooms known as tochukaso growing from its back. ... So At the end even pokemon is subdued by such a parasite

[@sicktoaster]

Imagine if you heard voices but it started early childhood so you grew up just thinking of them as your own "sudden insights" instead of conceptualizing them as voices in your head? But then your immune system would probably be brought on board with the process resulting in human symbiosis with T. Gondii. The person would likely be very creative and feel particularly inspired by cats, even like they have a psychic connection. In fact it would be a psychic connection.

[@johnnymcgeez5647]

Actually, toxoplasma is mostly found in the dirt, and cats are not the only animals that have it. Almost any small criter that lives in the field will have it, and birds who eat seeds and crumbs from the ground will also get it. On the other hand, rodents and cats have been living near human food storages for millenia, and just owning cats doesnt put you in any greater risk than before, especially considering how hygiene used to suck back then.

[@Jessafur]

True, but we were immune to most illnesses, infections, and parasites at first, but over time they become more adapt to our immune system, and then they were able to attack us. Parasites and viruses are good at adapting to a new host pretty easily. That's how diseases such as swine flu and mad cow disease, and even the bubonic plague became threatening to humans. Long story short, it could happen, but not until the cordyceps adapt to humans.

[@DUCKDUDE4100]

Oh thank you so much for making this video I'm hyper paranoid and pathologically afraid of bugs and parasites larger than 1 millimeter and I was eating.

[@lordofudead]

The voices..they speak to me....they tell me....to love cats? I honestly cant argue with that train of thought.

[@cakecrumb095]

When I first watched about that in a Discovery documentary in class I had nightmares for a week. Ironically, the girl sitting near me had a panic attack when it moved on to spiders.

[@theorangehero2441]

Let's see what wonderful Scishow has to show me today!....o_o

[@jackogrady8300]

DAMN, I'M STAYING AWAY FROM MY CAT NOW. DAMN NATURE! YOU SCARY!

[@robbob1866]

I like how Hank is so angry at these organisms as if they had a nefarious intelligent. "Bastard"!

[@daltonray9948]

Scishow I hope you lose as much sleep making these videos as I do watching them.

[@paareth]

There are a fair few things in the body that interfere with human brain chemistry, candida is probably the biggest one that most will have heard of but by no means the only one, causing craving for and excess consumption of candida building products when its allowed to run rife in a body. Of course people are able to resist these signals to eat certain foods, most don't however and many who are suffering from yeast infections probably think it normal :D - The common causes being antibiotics with no probiotic replacing them, excess consumption of certain dairy or bread products for example, and finally sugar so it can breed. We never like to look at ourselves, because that might mean changing our diet or lifestyle ;) but if every other animal is susceptible to parasites we are just the same.

[@kingjro2]

I should have been asleep days ago but I can't stop watching and re-watching these videos.

[@mindsendStoryweaver]

It uses more than ants -- there's a ton of different species of fungus in that family, each one specializing in a different type of bug. Caterpillars, grasshoppers, beetles, none are safe from the family tree of the Cordyceps fungi.

[@christine25246]

no, the cordyceps does not infect humans, it only affects insects and the cordyceps can be only found in the wild

[@wenaolong]

There are obviously parallels in human society which reveal certain types of persons and organizations as being parasitic in nature with respect to society at large, and one might say that there are behavioral traits which conduct themselves via their individual host which are likewise parasitic, these may be cognitive, emotional, physico-pathognomic, or any combination of these. I will seek to demonstrate in future videos of my own what are the ontological (spiritual) sorts of parasites.

[@brentenireland]

I think his also relates to Paralysis ticks if you get one on your head you cannot think straight, specifically about the possibility of having a tick, this has happened to myself and to 2 others that I know.

[@tommyodowd3529]

And if scientists combine all the mind-controlling parasites in the world and set them free on a mouse, The mouse will do some crazy things.

[@Omaricon]

you should have talked about the parasites that uses ants. It's called Cordyceps Fungi, really spooky stuff.

[@trevordunn4740]

"The crazy, cat lady phenomenon." XD

[@doomkoala]

I saw this on a show a while ago, they also said that they found that drugs that helped with alzheimers and schizophrenia also killed those parasites. Kind of a big link, huh?

[@brutakon]

new favourite channel

[@144AA]

I'm not falling for the cat litter as much I clean I would like

[@JellybeanInc]

"...Wouldn't you love to spoon a cat?" best line I have heard all day. On a side note, your videos are great. I really enjoy bouncing around your channel. =)

[@cannibalisticpotato8983]

I don't know why, but I laughed so hard during this video. Then I realized that people like to eat cat poop. I laughed even harder.

[@chPPou]

i find it very hard to eat and watch this at the same time.

[@worldofthought8352]

The whole rat-cat and how it seems to possibly interfere with humans has the basis for a straight to dvd horror potential.

[@nelladarren]

I've been living with cats and handling their poop for more than 20 years and have yet failed to catch toxoplasmosis. (Yes, I was tested when I had what turned out to be mono.) I'm disappointed since I read of a study suggesting that it makes the male brain more depressed but makes infected women more satisfied with their lives. Maybe I need to start snuggle wild rats.

[@animetrash754]

"Because cats don't eat cat poop" my cats eat each others vomit and each other's hair.

[@RebekahCarrow]

Anime Trash Lol eww 🤢🤮

[@jesterprivilege]

It would be neat to observe the physical interaction between parasite and host. What is connected to where and what is being transferred or propagated between the two that would explain the change in behavior. Makes me wonder if you could fight off a parasite with will power alone.

[@sevrige]

You forgot the Cordyceps fungus, the craziest of them all!

[@SebbyTheFreak]

Oh man, Cordyceps are frikking amazing. They're what keeps insects in check, basically. They're also goddamn gross,

[@someguythatlookslikeme8306]

I used to hate cats. . . Then my dad got a cat. I started to like cats. . .more and more. . .now I cry when my cat died. I say 'meow' if I see a cat on the tv. . .i worry when cats are on the streets by themselves. . .if I see a "lost cat" sign I worry about the cat a LOT!! This took 10 years to happen. I hated cats since i was a little kid - - - I need more cats in my life. WTF. The cat does not approve of this video.

[@cottontop9276]

This all just goes to show that having pet Cat is better than having a pet Rattlesnake!

[@XDarkxSteel]

I would have thought that would have at least been mentioned because that fungus seems to be getting sort of popular now...

[@cookingboy3]

OH GOD, IT'S LIKE HE JUST ADDED AN ANNOTATION AFTER THE VIDEO WAS PUBLISHED! Also, he makes the videos, and he'd obviously have a video before it comes out

[@td6063]

this was so funny, the way u presented it.

[@alexgulino335]

If you want to know more about toxoplasmosis look up "Stuff you should know" a podcast, has tons of great topics in more depth than these but similar in topic/style. Think they have around 800+ podcasts now, been listening for years.

[@serubyne57]

Mind-controlling parasites? Neurax Worm? (Play Plague Inc. if you don't know)