It's no Nobel Peace Prize,eroticism belly dance but Barack Obama has a new honor to brag about. Scientists have named a parasite after him — and there's no worming out of it.
Meet Baracktrema obamai, a tiny parasitic flatworm that lives in turtles' blood. A new study officially names the two-inch-long, hair-thin creature after Obama.
Thomas Platt, the newly retired biology professor at Saint Mary's College in Indiana who chose the name, says it's an honor, not an insult. Really.
Platt, who discovered and named the flatworm to crown his career before retiring, has 32 new species to his credit. In the past, he's named them after his father-in-law, his doctorate adviser "and other people I have a great deal of respect for. This is clearly something in my small way done to honor our president," Platt says.
A distant relative of the president, Platt says people pay thousands of dollars for the privilege of having a species named after them.
Parasites get a bad rap. Platt says this one reminds him of the president: "It's long. It's thin. And it's cool as hell."
Platt says Baractrema obamai"are phenomenally incredibly resilient organisms.""I hold them in awe and with phenomenal respect," Platt says.
The worm is related, distantly, to a parasite that can cause a devastating disease in humans, but it causes no harm to turtles, Platt says.
Parasites are cool, crucial to life and all around us, says Rutgers biologist Michael Sukhedo, editor of the Journal of Parasitology, where the study appears. About seven out of 10 animals on Earth are parasites, he says.
Naming a new species — especially in the final paper of a career — "is a big decision," Sukhedo says.
Obama already has a spider, a fish and even an extinct dinosaur named after him. Although names are usually bestowed as an honor, Sukhedo admits once or twice parasites have been named as a tool of revenge — something Platt says isn't the case here.
One time, Sukhedo says, a biologist named an entire group of parasites after her ex-husband: microphallus.
Russia tries to kick out LinkedInTrumpism hangs over the USA vs. Mexico World Cup qualifier like a dark cloudJennifer Lawrence writes encouraging postAnother John Lewis Christmas ad, another Twitter explosion for this poor guyTrumpism hangs over the USA vs. Mexico World Cup qualifier like a dark cloudSnap's Spectacles are already up on eBay10 financial advisors on what President Trump means for your money planHere are 39 things Donald Trump has promised AmericaSpend a long weekend playing 'Overwatch' for freeThanks Trump: Katy Perry pulls out of big China concertFacebook pledges to clear News Feed of misinformation, againThis ardent Hillary supporter had a live TV meltdown about the electoral collegeListen to Childish Gambino's fervent first single off 'Awaken, My Love!'White House visit includes mindJeremy the snail finally found a snail to have sex withPowerful Mannequin Challenge video highlights the Black Lives Matter movementThis iPad accessory is about to upFormer Australian leader rips into America following Trump's electionSnap's Spectacles are already up on eBayYouTubers in shock over President The Jimmy Winkfield Stakes by Michael Lipkin The Morning News Roundup for December 18, 2014 Nicholas Breton’s December Notes on Becoming a Crank Happy Haneke by Dan Piepenbring Penelope Fitzgerald Is a Great Novelist—Don’t Be Surprised Following in the Footsteps of Melville and Ishmael “War and Peace” Turns 150 This Year An English Translation of Houellebecq’s "Submission" Is Coming An Interview with Thomas Pierce Coming This Sunday: Our Holiday Pop How to Curate an Art Exhibition in Your Kitchen What Does “Dickensian“ Really Mean, Anyway? Jane Freilicher, 1924–2014 The Morning News Roundup for December 16, 2014 Eamonn Doyle, i The Morning News Roundup for January 12, 2015 Growing Up Nostalgic SantaCON Is Coming, and We All Must Suffer The Wonders of Industrial
1.8295s , 10169.828125 kb
Copyright © 2025 Powered by 【eroticism belly dance】,Fresh Information Network