It’s almost flu / virus and cold season. I was reading an online article about viruses and such. I don’t remember where the link is or the site but it was a very interesting read because I’ve never thought about how viruses really act and the nature of them! I’m a fan of sci-fi, and I thought the idea had a really cool perspective. The article explained how viruses were sneaky “alien” invaders inside the human body. Once the virus sneaks in, it starts taking over the host’s cells. These “possessed cells” are now being controlled by the virus, helping it spread through out the rest of the host body. The results are feeling like crap for about a week and staying in bed or just barely moving through out the day . There isn’t a lot that you can do while this “invader” is inside occupying your body lol!!

I’ve never really thought about viruses in that nature! However when you think about it, viruses literally do take over our bodies in a scientific and biological way! Even though viruses can’t literally manipulate their host’s physical/mental actions, like you see in alien body-snatching movies, they do exert a degree of actual possession over the body (freaky to a point, viruses aren’t probably “smart” enough to do so?!)! I often wondered how sci-fi movies get their alien invasion virus/parasite ideas from, probably biology!! At least there hasn’t been a virus discovered that could!

I’ve also recently been reading up on parasites as well. Ones that do in fact take over bugs/insects. I was wondering if anyone knew of any such parasites there were capable of manipulating a person’s behavior?? I’ve heard of a human brain parasite that slows down a person’s reaction or thinking, and the beef tapeworm “tells” the host that it’s hungry, but that’s about it.

P.S. I'm new to the boards, and if I have posted in the wrong section please re-direct me! I find this all to be very interesting! Thanks!

1) yes, you are in the right forum.

2) Good thing almost all of of us have a healthy immune system. And when you imagine viruses as alien invaders, antibodies (the immune system's "guns") and death is like a lost on our side, and a win tells the viral world that this type of virus not a good choice to do on that person again, because they will lose (because of the Memory B cells putting up posters of what to do if we "see" the virus again).


3) Why would Mother Nature evolve such a thing?

Thanks for the input!! I have wondered the same thing myself?! I've also read elsewhere, though I could be mistaken, that we are outnumbered 4:1 (either parasites or viruses) , but i can't remember. Perhaps viruses and others serve as an unknown higher purpose eh or for other reason's as well?