you need worms

I read a lot of science news.  Much of it is very cool, but only occasionally do I read something and find myself saying, “Holy Crap!  I never thought of that and it makes perfect sense!  Genius!”  I did when reading this NYTimes article on parasitic worms.  The article basically explains that, in our evolutionary past, because we did not have particularly good sanitation, it was really common for humans to have parasitic worms.  With improved sanitation, we reduced the likelihood of having these worms.  Now, you’re probably saying, “That’s a good thing, right? I mean, who wants worms?”  Well, turns out, those worms may very well have been a key factor in keeping us healthy and feeling well.  The main scientist interviewed in the NYTimes story tested this theory by infecting sufferers of Irritable Bowel Syndrome with worms.  And the result?  Most of them were cured.  Amazing!  As a sufferer of IBS, I’m wondering where I can get my hands on some of those worms…

Isn’t science amazing?