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Forbidden Banana dipped in strawberry jam. https://t.co/4m1HTO8zCv

Looking up that graeffei species and I found lots of forbidden fruits. I did a google search to find to find out if this was the original image. And google thought this was a Malagueta Pepper.https://t.co/sooI7CD2Vx https://t.co/fBqZgcnHNQ


I am now imagining a bottle of pickled slugs.https://t.co/qi8LIuygUo

FYI don't eat slugs from Brazil. The peppers are ok tho."When that cottage industry collapsed—Brazilians, it turns out, are not huge fans of the delicacy—the snails invaded the environment, and the rat lungworm parasite inevitably took up residence."https://t.co/tKdw8g8zDh

Rat Lungworm is why you wanna wash veggies and cook meats.https://t.co/hUCyCPwl30

So if you cook the slug well enough, it'll kill the worm and you'll be fine?It says 3-to-5 minutes of boiling, or heating to 165* for 15 seconds. I imagine you wanna make sure it's cooked all the way thru.I wonder if that applies to eating rodent meat?

You'll also wanna cook bats for simlar reasons. https://t.co/VM10dZNKlvIt makes sense that we'd see cross contamination, both rats and bats are 'Trogloxenes'https://t.co/x39IR4smbS

That also implies we should expect ebola from bats & ratshttps://t.co/AZXAFmfGBQhttps://t.co/oaDpUxZ6TcI should learn more about bat's immune system.https://t.co/3Rl2IzuzW1And funguses that prey on them.https://t.co/i2XiOYs5lk

So pangolins are ant-eaters.Bats engorge on ants during their nuptial flight.I bet since ants eat snails they act as vectors of rat lungworm infection indirectly.https://t.co/aH9HTyumlPLots of weird parasites show up in pangolins despite them being ant-eaters. Contamination?

“We don’t think of snails as particularly mobile, but the genetic evidence we found — that snails can traverse substantial distances — is a reminder of just how difficult it is to contain and control infectious diseases carried by animals and insects,”https://t.co/NL3GpW665b

Uh.. What?https://t.co/EQ2YEZWqgB https://t.co/74uR9VlDGE


It seems that Rat Lungworm can infect centipedes and use them as a host. So it suggests that at least some kinds of insects can act as carriers. https://t.co/Dove0t0ZgI

How would Rat Lungworm enter an ant colony? Well...https://t.co/KO5RrHhoY6

"red triangle slug (Triboniophorus graeffei) produces a special kind of mucus when threatened. Unlike the thin, slippery slime it secretes as it moves, the special defensive mucus is extremely sticky – strong enough to glue down predators for days."https://t.co/gdudcX7Vs1 🤯

I can't decide if slugs are jerks.https://t.co/69eeLe5V26

Or if they are frens. https://t.co/9hOg2XvkzZ

It occurs to me that various lungworms might be intentionally triggering inflammation in their hosts to1) expell their brood2) borrow their host's immune system to protect them from bacteria?https://t.co/BhMu9LEIl3Helminths as opportunists?https://t.co/LvLnSG0FIo

"despite rapid advances in our understanding of host–intestinal bacteria interactions, the impact of helminths on this relationship has remained largely unexplored"https://t.co/fYbHx49Rnl

I hate being on the frontiers. My brain is constantly pulling up ideas like "this should exist" or "we should expect interactions here", or "here's a game theoretic incentive system that ought to imply certain style of games among these actors."and yet all I find is ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

It's hard to "trust science" on a topic when there is no science on the topic.How does scientism work when there is no science?https://t.co/3XRI6wAPmcI guess we just pray or something.

I wonder what it was like to be exploring the nature of consumption and having everybody around you calling you a quack for not trusting doctors.We've known about consumption since 460 BC, and yet only discovered Tuberculosis in 1882.https://t.co/nzzJijDTBr

The open air movement for classrooms from the early 1900s was related to doctors and scientists bickering about how to cure TB https://t.co/UVQmELtngn https://t.co/gtAtauHoiG


You know what is good for your immune system? Vitamin Dhttps://t.co/WOH3YeFev3and Low CO2.https://t.co/xM4CVBz8yiWe are all fucking idiots.

The world of science is just a mash of memes fighting for survival.Tired: everything is politics.Wired: everything is MetapoliticsInspired: everything is shitHired: drinking poop tea? That's just FMT therapy.https://t.co/uLEF8TSi9Qhttps://t.co/nc5TnVPDmE

@vgr @literalbanana Not sure. I've been modeling it in my head as populations of ELI5 theories that compete with each other to try and balance out. In my head it ties into the 'leaky abstractions' ideas you were talking about at one point.https://t.co/rPqQjyk65s

I understand. In the 1900s there was an extreme need for our society to have doctors to wash hands, and the loss of outdoor therapy to improve immune system was a necessary evil to promote overall health. But talk about throwing babies out with bathwaters.https://t.co/GorMHWXjWk

The entirety of western civ is sitting in air conditioned artifical caves, staring at low powered light boxes, and eating carbohydrates. Screaming at each other about how we need cheaper antibiotics. Scratching our heads about why we are sick and stressed.https://t.co/HPLFIDsN05

"Boarding a flight upon a passing migratory bird there is evidence that land snails have been carried 5,500 miles by birds between Europe and Tristan de Cunha – clocking up the frequent flier miles way before travelling salespeople did."https://t.co/nNuulBVweuhaha, dammit.

Giant snails are cute, but are also invasive. They freaking eat drywall?!I love how this person talks about preventing them from breeding, while also showcasing all the babies they made.https://t.co/w5N5nyo5fh

Snails eating a worm. (from https://t.co/YKfS71sDzq) https://t.co/XhsxQDbQVt

Stabby time with frens.Proboscis penis barbs. wow."Basically, if a snail gets...uh...penetrated by the other snail's genitalia, it'll secrete spermicide to kill it off, unless that other snail stops that by stabbing it with its dart."https://t.co/a5lepTB0LK

"Think 'full body French kiss; but with more mucus'.As they do this they're looking for opportunities to impale eachother with their love darts.I wish this was a metaphor, but it's not."https://t.co/22ODOYCHk6

I'm currently making this thread about snails having sex because of parallels with about how stuff like Feline Coronavirus spreads thru the food chain.If cats lick each other's piss, and FCoV is spread via fecal transfer, it theoretically could evolve into a feline STD.

I think a lot about butterflys drinking liquid from elephant dunghttps://t.co/fJyiejcXM9and those that prefer feline urine.https://t.co/q0TOpq9ZrD

Many butterflies and moths are known to ride the jet-stream to travel."With an additional jet stream push from behind, they can achieve top speeds of up to 90 kilometres an hour."https://t.co/NWaHFH3QCt

Don't worry, not far behind them are the spiders making airborn webs en masse."But when numbers of spiders balloon together, their strands stick to each other, forming thicker, floating silken mats that can be easily seen."https://t.co/nTt8HC3Q4vhttps://t.co/9PQJ1MJiDq

There's some weird stuff happening with colostrum and breastmilk in kittens. It seems something in cat milk protects them until they are weened. https://t.co/wsmxTcGKvXI wonder if something like that shows up in humans.https://t.co/wv6oGLPnVJ

Oh look, another ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ in science research."The results of this relatively small Phase 1 study demonstrate that the gut microbiota has an important influence on immune physiology in humans and, in particular, the immune response to vaccination," https://t.co/MgQ29cjEGB

And another ¯\_(ツ)_/¯"Infants, pregnant women, and breastfeeding mothers are highly susceptible to severe respiratory disease following influenza virus infection but the mechanisms of disease severity in the mother-infant dyad are poorly understood."https://t.co/hCSFg7pLrf

Pregnant mammal's immune system changes, microbes migrate to breast tissue and vaginal area to prepare for transfer and milk production to offspring. Disease that causes respiratory infection due to immune response leaves scientists puzzled.https://t.co/5YVk64ePd9 https://t.co/wnhIczD1CS


Trust the science! you scream.Meanwhile as I read more and more science, all I see is myths being propagated by an institution that has calcified.Your faith in science does little for me. All I see are god-in-gap reasoning and academic posturing.

Trust the science?Trust the science.https://t.co/B8MsIhWEv8

I need to come to peace with science.I can only read all this bullshit for so long until I just angry and want to start murdering mice to prove I can do science too.This is unfair to mice.https://t.co/OLZxd3LxJR https://t.co/2n9DDwLeXn


No Science, Only Dogehttps://t.co/Vc3rgY9Yqd https://t.co/G8wP6NN2aM

Doctors a thousand years ago knew about cannabis' anti-inflammatory properties. Meanwhile, the first endocannabinoid was discovered in 1992 (Anandamide)https://t.co/7e1maKQHrpTFW: I'm learning more about human biology from Muslim poets than I do modern science. 🤪

I mean, its not like I've got a bad case of existential dread over mass viral contagion and pandemic level destruction of society or anything like that.What would give you that idea?https://t.co/VXK5EBSXzv

This whole thread you are reading is actually about how we don't pay attention to helminth infections in shit, and a veiled attempt to get you to focus on Coronavirus spreading thru fecal matter. Because the system ignores that as the base case.https://t.co/XQm0m85d9s

One of the things I am profoundly and utterly dismayed by: How all of the efforts to test drug safety (on mice) are largely overlooking the large scale impact of fecal and urine in the water system, and impacts on things outside of one "model" species.https://t.co/CRSKYi7MiK

"When infected by a virus known as baculovirus, gypsy moth caterpillars mysteriously climb for the treetops. They then die and scatter viral particles, infecting their comrades below."https://t.co/Mb3w6NOzuTFlu viruses, in my rainforest caterpillar? 🐛https://t.co/5ux8wLj0xA

"This is the first study to describe viruses in one of the world's most widespread, abundant and damaging invasive ants." [2015] https://t.co/uhGPI7xHZs 🤪Ants <=> Humans.https://t.co/I4lTzzKqXk

"In the Hopi language, the word Koyaanisqatsi means 'crazy life, life in turmoil, life out of balance, life disintegrating, a state of life that calls for another way of living', and the film implies that modern humanity is living in such a way."https://t.co/99SVTFhrbs

Searching Erythromycin/Azythromycin.First link? A .gov website-> "Antibiotics such as erythromycin will not work for colds, flu, or other viral infections." https://t.co/7OtLyhpULTSecond link? is a science publication-> "well actually" 😇 https://t.co/dyudSxpvLP¯\_(ツ)_/¯

So while everyone else is dosing up on Malaria drugs and synthetic antibiotics, I'll be drinking Kombucha, and eating zinc heavy foods. https://t.co/wpUPoGh1MQ and helping my gut bacteria produce erythromycin naturally instead of just killing everything off and getting psychosis.

Quercetin is in Ginkgo, and EGCG is Green Tea.https://t.co/I1u72p380A

"Chinese herbal treatments classically used for treating viral respiratory infection might contain direct anti-2019-nCoV compounds."https://t.co/qkigeM6y46¯\_(ツ)_/¯

USDA survey of foods with Quercetin and 'catechin' https://t.co/mI7mp2iIEzLingonberry wine! Yum.

Please ignore me. I am spreading myths derived from ancient healing traditions based on a fucking chickadee.https://t.co/zQaK6VARZi

While you were partying,I was studying the bird. https://t.co/K6B4ebPoSMWhile you were having fun,I was studying the immune system. https://t.co/PWfo59W4A8Now that the world is on fire & coronavirus propagateshttps://t.co/dFO2g1KSq9you have the audacity to come to me?

No science, only myth.https://t.co/JokbBceiWi

"We used to think about hibernation as something related to freezing temperatures, but mouse tailed bats definitely change this perception: hibernation is possible at room temperature and it is probably also related to diet composition."https://t.co/NJEcmsqj5M

Nicotine -> Insulin -> PorphrinLow porphin causing lung related iron issues?Metformin-induced PseudoporphyriaWhy?fluoroquinolones (azythromycin) inducing blood sugar control isueshttps://t.co/Lpy4ajHNFKImmune system function tied to blood sugarhttps://t.co/JG1cZBo2D3


"among patients with poorly controlled type 2 diabetes, pulse oximetry overestimates arterial oxygen saturation. It may be more appropriate to use arterial blood gas analysis, rather than pulse oximetry, to monitor treatment of hypoxemia in these patients"https://t.co/NUozQmbfjn

Remember how back in march I found out that erythromycin produced by bacteria had antivirual properties (via a science publication!), and now I can't talk about it anymore because it became politics?Everything politics touches becomes tainted w/ scientism. I hate it.

Many animals turn white during winter.https://t.co/8r32QMFl8WMy hair is changing color and I appear to be shedding more. I think it's this effect: https://t.co/by7jmhTOsohttps://t.co/Q6bkBpryFZ

I am upset that @zefrank's latest video didn't include anything about how sea snails do.https://t.co/C3Tlv0pR2ehttps://t.co/QtF4Z6k356

Echoing an earlier thought in thread having to do with sitting in caves and avoiding people.https://t.co/ubPhcauPqG

Think about this new feature on twitter.https://t.co/Vsd1PRPoHxand lingering thoughts on the nature of regulating truth.https://t.co/Xafyg1lHtP

Basidiobolus ranarum can cause lung damage in immune compromised people, and can be spread by moths. So it is possible there could be undocumented outbreaks? I hate my brain's ability to make shit up that is real. https://t.co/NMHj3bOh0I https://t.co/MJCrCdfzSO

I'd bet there is a moth like insect that spreads a deadly disease in this area:"There are also legends about butterflies in Kochi Prefecture (among others) causing sickness and death, and swarming and suffocating individuals walking in the evening."https://t.co/ejBxgFNpyG

Can also infect dogs. Poor shiba.https://t.co/c7L9icrisY

"[tho study size] here is relatively small, the comprehensive nature of this dataset also enabled us to identify new factors (e.g. serum zinc and iron levels) that could be modulated by helminth infections and their associated microbial communities" https://t.co/iRYNMOSNw2

"Scientists thought these insects were simply blown to their destinations, but now they've discovered something remarkable: The moths actually select the fastest wind currents, and even change course to shorten their trip." https://t.co/DrEWTlxOwAhttps://t.co/NwLWOftSue

Also just strait up bacteria floating up there https://t.co/6iUJ0LyrKuDo you think trees sneeze collectively?https://t.co/O53GpZGg6w

*cough, hack, wheeze*https://t.co/G8YPWWDKE7

How fast can evolution happen if mutations are gained in parallel and spread across the planet by tree sneezes?https://t.co/IGJ5NKP5mP

"Charles Davis, an evolutionary biologist at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, says the work shows that the “promiscuity” of gene transfer between bacteria and eukaryotes is unexpectedly high."https://t.co/1CCC8aJukd

Why are all these things unexpected by evolutionary biologists?What the fuck is happening? I know I think about it a lot (25 years now), but I don't think of myself as an expert.https://t.co/XSeEruuKXg

"making a bold claim in arguing for the direct transfer of a gene from one fish to another. That kind of horizontal DNA movement once wasn’t imagined to happen in any animals, let alone vertebrates. Still"https://t.co/74dwBKYUu9

"Our global analysis of [transposable elements] among vertebrates offered the opportunity to investigate the extent to which their molecular evolution occurred under natural selection, on a large scale."https://t.co/8wBLk9lh7d

Novel antibacterial products in snail slime.https://t.co/4XccsItW8J

"Have you ever wondered how snails can spend their time crawling over dirt rife with potentially dangerous bacteria but manage to stay healthy? Two British scientists did, and this led them to discover new proteins that can fight harmful bacteria."https://t.co/Jf4Coc9sUm

"Nevertheless, our work has made a good case that these drugs can fight the coronavirus. While we still need to use antibiotics carefully, they might therefore have a role to play against COVID in the future."https://t.co/VTDrM5qJ88https://t.co/aPelkM20LS

Remember how back in march I found out that erythromycin produced by bacteria had antivirual properties (via a science publication!), and now I can't talk about it anymore because it became politics?Everything politics touches becomes tainted w/ scientism. I hate it.

"The association of fluoxetine with gentamicin and erythromycin P. aeruginosa and E. coli presented synergistic effects, demonstrating that this drug can selectively modulate the activity of antibiotics of clinical use"https://t.co/890RJODd0Mhttps://t.co/BUtCx22YG2

"Azithromycin pre-treatment reduces [rhinoviruses] replication in [cystic fibrosis] bronchial epithelial cells, possibly through the amplification of the antiviral response mediated by the IFN pathway. Clinical studies are needed"https://t.co/mMJceaF7fyhttps://t.co/ZnRrVzDkuv