Life-extending parasite makes ants live at least three times longer
12 June 2023
Ants infected by the parasite don't work, are cared for by uninfected workers and live much longer than usual
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City life may help Darwin's finches survive bloodsucking flies
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In the Galapagos Islands, finches that live near cities have higher survival rates against parasitic flies than those who live in the country
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An unusually virulent strain of the parasite Toxoplasma gondii, primarily found in cat faeces, has been reported in marine animals for the first time
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Parasites get everywhere. From 30-metre-long tapeworms in blue whales to leeches living in hippos' anuses, Parasites: The inside story explores what its authors believe is the most successful lifestyle on Earth
Oldest known parasite is a worm-like animal from 512 million years ago
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Hundreds of fossil animals that lived more than 500 million years ago had worm-like objects attached to them – the oldest hard evidence of parasitism
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All animals rely on oxygen at least at some stage of their life, but a parasite that infects fish seems to have completely lost the ability to use it – where it gets its energy from is still a mystery
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They cause deadly diseases and brainwash crickets to leap into ponds, so why are conservationists fighting to save parasites from extinction?
Plight of the Living Dead review – The making of real zombies
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From cockroaches to humans, few creatures are immune from the complex strategies of the mind-stealing parasites at the centre of a gripping Christmas tale
