The Coevolution of Lice & Their Hosts 179
eldavojohn writes "It might be an uncomfortable subject but parasites are an interesting subject when it comes to evolution. Ever wonder if pocket gophers have lice? Well, they do. And most interesting of all is the evolution of these lice mirroring the evolution of gophers. To study the genes of lice may shed just as much light on evolutionary trees as studying the genes of the actual host the lice has evolved to. The most unsettling result from these studies is that human head lice and human pubic lice (crabs) vary so greatly that they are in two separate genera. There were similarities between our pubic lice and the lice found on gorillas. Scientists came to the conclusion, which they published today in BMC Biology, is just as striking as their earlier one about head lice. But it is hardly the same. We did not get pubic lice from other hominids. We got them from the ancestors of gorillas."
hmmmmm (Score:5, Funny)
Look, I don't know what these scientists have been doing with the gorillas in this study, but this seems like evidence of *something*.
Not humans... a human. (Score:4, Funny)
Dude... (Score:2, Funny)
That was the origin of that phrase (Score:0, Funny)
"Ever wonder if pocket gophers have lice?" (Score:5, Funny)
Fucking crabs... (Score:0, Funny)
Fuck, I've got the fucking crabs.
I thought I had jock itch and had been spraying my junk with Cruex, but that only made the crabs mad. I could see them climbing through my white-powdered pubes.
The only resort was to shave myself from nose to toes. I looked like a fucking toddler, but the itching stopped.
And yes, I had to replace my futon, get new sheets, and boil my underwear and jeans. Hell of a price to pay for some Montreal trim.
Could have been worse, though.
Regards,
Crabman
Re:"Ever wonder if pocket gophers have lice?" (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Gorilla / Human lovin'? (Score:3, Funny)
From my window I'm staring while my coffee grows cold
Look over there! (Where?)
There's a lady that I used to know
She's married now, or engaged, or something, so I am told
Is she really going out with him?
Is she really gonna take him home tonight?
Is she really going out with him?
'Cause if my eyes don't deceive me,
There's something going wrong around here
It's amazing how accurate Joe Jackson can be.
Re:Dating the first clothing (Score:3, Funny)
"All fabrics are artificial.. I don't think I've ever seen a blanket or a shirt tree."
You're confusing the thing with what its made of. While there aren't "blanket trees," there certainly ARE cotton plants, and wool occurs naturally as well - ask any sheep. So you can make blankets and clothing out of cotton, or wool, or any other naturally-occuring fibre - but you won't find any naturally-occuring polyester. And don't get me started on how many naugas you have to kill to get even one decent naugahide.
So many responses, so little time... (Score:5, Funny)
#10. Speak for yourself, professor.
#9. "coyote-ugly", move over...
#8. Shhh... Hear that? I think Dave Attell's head just exploded.
#7. Why is the waiting room empty? All I said was we...
#6. "Scratch-a while you can, monkey-boy!"
#5. Next on Springer...
#4. Time to bring the crab-infested brass monkeys in off the back porch, Radar.
#3. Yes, you heard me right, I need to get into those crabs' genes.
#2. Let's say we ask Jocelyn Elders to weigh in on this one.
and #1... Well I'll be a monkey's uncle, and a mighty itchy one at that.
(N.B., I know gorillas are apes not monkeys, so save the posting effort, it's just a freaking joke...)
Re:hair shape (Score:4, Funny)
It looks like its an arms race then.
lice story after brain game controller... (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Gorilla / Human lovin'? (Score:4, Funny)
Re:Evidence of Intelligent Design (Score:3, Funny)
We can test this. Have gay sex with a dirty ape while gambling, drinking, and cussing and see if you get struck by lighting and hurricanes more often then those having Brady-Bunch-Mormon-style relationships.
Re:The REAL Question of the Day!!... (Score:2, Funny)
Re:hair shape (Score:2, Funny)
I can't help it: "Just imagine a Beowolf cluster of these!!!"
haha
S-
Re:"Ever wonder if pocket gophers have lice?" (Score:4, Funny)
Re:another incorect assumption (Score:4, Funny)
That was the only thing you said that made sense
Re:Dating the first clothing (Score:3, Funny)
Flied lice (Score:3, Funny)
What do you mean "our pubic lice"?
This is Slashdot, most of us haven't had the opportunity to get public lice, you insensitive clod!