Summary

Dr. Tara Cepon-Robins of the University of Colorado – Colorado Springs joined me to talk about worms. She talks about humans’ evolutionary arms race with parasites, measuring disgust, and her work among the Shuar people and in the rural southern United States.

Recommendations

• What you should read to learn more:
  • Dr. Tara Cepon-Robins’ website
  • Miłkowska K, Galbarczyk A, Mijas M, Jasienska G. Disgust Sensitivity Among Women During the COVID-19 Outbreak. Front Psychol. 2021 Mar 23;12:622634. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.622634. PMID: 33833715; PMCID: PMC8021948.
  • Riddled With Life: Friendly Worms, Ladybug Sex, and the Parasites That Make Us Who We Are by Marlene Zuk (Harper Collins, 2008)
  • Parasites: Tales of Humanity’s Most Unwelcome Guests by Rosemary Drisdelle (University of California Press, 2010)
  • Parasite Rex: Inside the Bizarre World of Nature’s Most Dangerous Creatures by Carl Zimmer (Atria Books, 2001)
  • I Contain Multitudes: The Microbes Within Us and a Grander View of Life by Ed Yong (Harper Collins, 2018)
  • This Is Your Brain on Parasites: How Tiny Creatures Manipulate Our Behavior and Shape Society by Kathleen McAuliffe (Mariner Books, 2017)
• What she’s reading for work right now:
  • Blue Marble Health: An Innovative Plan to Fight Diseases of the Poor amid Wealth by Peter Hotez (Johns Hopkins University Press, 2016)
• What she’s consuming for fun:
  • Whatever free mystery-thriller from Kindle with decent reviews
  • Dark (link goes to Netflix)