Parasites lost -- the journey from woeful worms to helpful monsters | Christopher Blanar | TEDxNSU

People generally view parasites with horror and disgust, as mere agents of suffering and disease—but recent discoveries are changing that. Biologists are finding that parasites maintain biodiversity and drive ecological processes. Doctors are discovering that a world without parasites can be surprisingly unhealthy. Perhaps it is time to give these much-maligned creatures an image makeover? Christopher Blanar is an Assistant Professor of Biology at Nova Southeastern University.

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