In forests, in lawns, in city parks across the world lurks a small, pale, unassuming mushroom whose inconspicuous appearance belies its deadly nature. For within this mushroom dwelsl one of the deadliest poisons known to humans: amatoxin. It’s because of this toxin that the aptly-named ‘death cap mushroom’ (Amanita phalloides) is responsible for the vast majority of mushroom-related deaths around the globe each year. What makes this poisonous mushroom so very deadly, and is there anything we can do about it? In this episode, we take a journey through this legendary mushroom’s story, exploring its destructive biology, its murderous history, and its worrying yet hopeful future. Tune in to learn more about these mushrooms that show death can come in small packages.
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Okay everyone, think about your tongue. Maybe move it around a bit, check in with it, consider what it means to you. Now imagine that your tongue suddenly shriveled up and fell off and that in its place is a tongue-sized isopod aka rollie pollie aka pillbug. Just there, hanging out, forever. How are you feeling? Horrified? Disgusted? Hey, we get it. But at least you’ll never be alone again. Believe it or not, this is not some bad creative writing exercise. This is a very real parasite. In fact, it’s not just one but a whole group of them. Fortunately for us humans, these tongue-replacing isopods don’t target mammals but rather various fish species (unfortunately for the fish). And in this week’s episode, we’re getting up close and personal with these bizarre (and dare we say cute?) organ-replacing parasites. If you’re wondering why on earth you should care about a niche parasite like this one or why it might be a bad idea to get rid of all of earth’s parasites, then we warmly invite you to sit back, relax, and enjoy this parasite appreciation hour.
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See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.