Parasites are among nature’s most skillful manipulators — and one of their specialties is making hosts perform reckless acts of irrational self-harm. There’s Toxoplasma gondii, which drives mice to seek out cats eager to eat them, and the liver fluke Dicrocoelium dendriticum, which motivates ants to climb blades of grass, exposing them to cows and sheep hungry for a snack. There’s Spinochordodes tellinii, the hairworm that compels crickets to drown themselves so the worm can
Can microbes encourage altruism?
More of Today's Solutions
Alzheimer’s fully reversed in mice using NAD+ compound, giving hope for futur...
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM In a discovery that’s generating cautious optimism in the scientific community, researchers in the United States have successfully ...
Read More8 creative side hustles that made money in 2025 that could work for you in 2026
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM With rising costs and evolving work norms, side hustles have become more than just a financial boost; they’re ...
Read MoreHow Paris is quieting its noise pollution
Those of us that live in a city love it for the layers and layers of life, light, and vibrancy that come from a ...
Read MoreDutch city is the first in the world to ban meat ads in public spaces
The undeniable environmental cost of keeping livestock and producing meat (along with the many health benefits of a plant-based diet) are compelling reasons for ...
Read More
