Our Paramecia Are Infected

We recently discovered some Holospora infecting one of our Paramecium samples. How does that happen? How does the Holospora get in there? And how are they so successful at infecting?

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[JamsGerms]

When I read that paper years ago, I thought I would never be able to find Holospora, and here we are making an episode about them! Life is surely full of surprises. 😂
-James

[drask]

i have to mention this again: the new microscope is so incredibly gorgeous, thank you so much for these pictures!

[laurachapple]

Excuse me... I'll be over here, getting my mind blown by the idea of the billions of life-or-death struggles going on all around me...

[AccidentalNinja]

I've always thought parasitism could morph into mutualism or symbiosis- yes, you're taking advantage of your host, but if your host isn't doing well you aren't either so it benefits you to help your host if you can.

[rockflageagle]

This is what happens when Paramecia aren't taught to wash their hands at an early stage of development

[CookieRaver]

I love the new microscope, this is amazing. Everything looks more three dimensional than before.

6:55 Just LOOK at those little guys squishing around.

[eskhatos]

That video quality be looking C R I S P and F I N E

[ianbcnp]

The definition and contrast are extraordinary. Those cilia are so clear as are the internal organelles. Just fantastic - I could watch those beautiful paramecia for hours :-)

[CardinalBirbRose]

I am constantly reminded that every life is trying to survive and thrive even if it might look harmful from another perspective.

[UberMassiveGaming]

3:05 It's incredible how similar their movement and reactions are to roombas.

[BlackWolf-]

A friend of mine bought me a plushie-paramecium for a silly b-day gift. It's sorta cute and 'he' adorns my bedroom wall. I recommend plushie microbes.

[kurenan]

The music really adds to your videos, especially this one for some reason. Excellent job.

[himanshusukhpal]

Love the way they say, "and if you want to view more content from us, there might be a subscribe button nearby somewhere".
Haven't regretted it since the first video of Stentor I saw.

[lindapindabelinda]

That’s very cool that your sample was contaminated in such an interesting way and that it was recognized from an old photograph. Please consider putting together a compilation video of the little creatures moving around slowly with that lovely background music. Sometimes I just like to look at them.

[janefkrbtt]

The paramecium at 7:00 seem to be stuck and are trying to get out. They act almost exactly like a bug in a cup or in confinement. They just scramble until they get out, i dont know if that has any significant meaning but its weird to see even the smallest organisms are still just tiny ass bugs

[capriottimultimedia]

I like the footage of the paramecia all brushing past each other because I personify them by imagining they're all saying "excuse me"

"Excuse me- oh excuse- me excuse me oh please after you excuse me, "

[purplealice]

Big fleas have smaller fleas,
Upon their backs to bite 'em;
And little fleas, still smaller fleas,
And so on, ad infinitem.

[mattiaswidegren]

07:51 Very sleepy Paramecium trying to stay awake after a long day of wriggling about doing Paramecium stuff

[exploremicroscopy]

Beautiful videography and stunning DIC. Very nice description of Holospora, too!

[InsomniCAT]

Love James' new {something something} contrast microscope, we just get to see so much . . . MORE! And Hank, I get such a kick listening to you narrate this channel, your presentation style here is so different from SciShow, which I also dig to the max.