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 ...

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 ...

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 ...

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.

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 ...

Parasitism occurs when one species — the parasite — benefits from resources it takes from another, usually larger, host species to the detriment of host individuals. Why some host individuals carry ...

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 ...

Pervasive parasitic infections reduce herbivory rates and can therefore trigger trophic cascades that impact plant communities, according to new research. This work helps fill a recognized knowledge ...