It's no Nobel Peace Prize,The Sex Files 2 A Dark XXX Parody 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.
Best free online courses from MIT
Wordle today: The answer and hints for November 8
Samsung launches Galaxy S Pen Creator Edition in the U.S.
Staff Picks: Morgan Parker, David Grann, George Saunders
Best early Prime Day deal: Save 40% on the Ember Mug at Amazon
How Sidney Sokhona’s Films Changed African Cinema
ChatGPT Plus users reporting issues since the DALL
When “Macaroni” Meant “Sodomy”
Best smart scale deal: Save over $25 on Renpho Smart Scale
Glenn O’Brien: The Art of Advertising
11 Tech Products That Were Supposed to Fail... But Didn't
Samsung launches Galaxy S Pen Creator Edition in the U.S.
Google launches new tools to find and track shopping deals
Wordle today: The answer and hints for November 8
Instant Pot Duo Plus deal: $69.99 at Amazon
It’s Not Magic, It’s Just a Camera
When Soviet Art Was Full of Hope
Apple fixes iPhone's BMW charging bug with iOS 17.1.1
We'll always, er, sorta, have the Paris Climate Agreement
NYT's The Mini crossword answers for November 7
What We’re Loving: Lovers, Lizards, Lowry by The Paris ReviewOwn a Piece of Paris Review HistoryBumble launches new features for free and premium users“Biographies in Bronze” by Fredda BrilliantThe Morning News Roundup for May 12, 2014The Object of DiscussionThe Birth (and Death) of Edward LearWhistle While You WorkDegenerate Art14 podcasts to teach kids about history, identity, and current eventsCops are playing music during filmed encounters to game YouTube's copyright striking'The Last Voyage of the Demeter' review: A Dracula horror story at war with itselfExploring Alexander Pope’s GrottoesWhy calling someone a 'Karen' ended up in New Zealand parliamentOwn a Piece of Paris Review HistoryDavid Lynch on Alan SpletHappy Birthday, Thomas PynchonJohn Jeremiah Sullivan’s Remarks on Frederick Seidel7 TikTok hashtags to check out if you can't look away from other people's dramaNetflix's 'El Conde' trailer teases a 250 Princess Diana is getting the statue she deserves, and hopefully it doesn't suck These barbed wire dreamcatchers help support the resistance at Standing Rock The Robin smartphone is no more after Razer acquires Nextbit J.K. Rowling slams Mike Pence with 1 biblical tweet Google creates $4 million crisis fund to fight Trump's immigration ban St. Louis Cardinals forced to pay $2 million after wild hacking scandal Meet the gay Iraqi soldiers who fell in love and ended up on Ellen This new at Screen Actors Guild Awards 2017: Winners list Dropbox's new feature puts cloud files on your desktop 5 crucial online resources that help immigrants learn their rights in airports Tinder founder responds to Muslim ban: CEOs have a 'responsibility' to speak out Bryan Cranston will reprise Howard Beale in timely stage production of 'Network' India removes cash limits at ATMs but it won't help most of its citizens Petition to stop Trump's state visit to the UK tops 1 million signatures Hackers cause hotel to ditch keycards for old Woman's pet snake got stuck in her gauged earlobe and we're screaming This may be the most gloriously brutal J.K. Rowling burn of all time What CEOs are saying about the Muslim ban, and what they actually mean All 13 times the stars at the SAG Awards threw shade at Donald Trump
1.2667s , 10113.6171875 kb
Copyright © 2025 Powered by 【The Sex Files 2 A Dark XXX Parody】,Miracle Information Network