It’s Halloween season, the liminal period when the general public seems to have a greater tolerance for stomach-churning content, so let’s talk about parasites, perhaps the most disgusting — and ...

A dodder plant begins its life looking like a tapeworm. The tiny plant, which will never grow leaves or roots, elongates in a spindly spiral. Round and round it swirls, searching for a host plant.

Scientists have found examples across the animal kingdom that show how parasites manipulate their hosts' behavior. In a bid to reach maturity and breed, they often lead their hosts to experience ...

Some of the most insidious and ancient threats to animals on Earth are parasites that hijack the bodies and brains of their hosts for their own nefarious ends. Now researchers are starting to gather ...

The COVID-19 outbreak has put into stark relief the disruption parasites can cause, both in human society and ecosystems. Researchers have long sought to better understand the evolutionary importance ...

Learn more about how parasites drive ecosystems, and see images and parasite-inspired anime characters in a SciFri SciArts article! The idea of a parasite—an organism that needs a host organism—has ...

Parasite extinction will have lasting and far-reaching consequences for biodiversity, and subsequently for humans. Kelly Speer Bat ticks (Ornithodoros) under a microscope. These parasites primarily ...