Photo by Matheus Queiroz
The natural world is full of wonder and marvel, but it also holds mysteries that have perplexed scientists and folklorists for centuries. One such prevalent and intriguing enigma that has captured the attention of scientists and folklorists for centuries is the phenomenon of ‘body snatching’ in the animal kingdom.
When we talk about “body snatching,” we often harken back to the 1978 film Invasion of the Body Snatchers (rest in peace, Donald Sutherland), where aliens have secretly been replacing people with alien duplicates: each a duplicate but lacking innate humanity.
While we often associate ‘body snatching’ with science fiction, it’s a scientifically documented phenomenon that’s more common than we might think…
Are There Actually Aliens on Earth?
There are creatures, often invertebrates or parasites, that appear to take over the bodies of their hosts, manipulating them in ways that defy conventional understanding. It is an odd and bizarre set of circumstances.
Could these be cases of simple predation, or is there something more…alien…at play?
Let’s start talking about the animal kingdom’s fascinating and sometimes unsettling world of body snatchers right here on Earth. Rest assured, there are no aliens involved in these bizarre but natural occurrences!
Photo by Егор Камелев
Alien-Like Animals: Jumping Parasites
You may not think it, but parasites are an essential part of the ecological web. Some of these parasites take their role to a new level. These “mind control” parasites alter their hosts’ behavior in ways that directly benefit their survival and reproduction.
The lancet liver fluke is a flatwork that infects freshwater snails and fish. While inside the snail, the fluke multiplies exponentially. When the snail gets swallowed up by a fish, the fluke migrates to the brain, causing the fish to develop erratic swimming behaviors. Flipping and flopping, the fish becomes an easy target for predatory birds, the fluke’s final host, whereupon the fluke lays its eggs. This change of behavior is a classic example of how parasites manipulate their hosts for their own ends.
Alien-Like Animals: Living Pantries
There are other body snatchers in the animal kingdom, too, and not only parasites. Outside of the microscopic world, there are also insects that exhibit head-scratching and spine-tingling examples of manipulating behavior.
The best example of this is perhaps the jewel wasps. Part of the life cycle of these wasps is that they target cockroaches as hosts for their young. When they sting a roach, they inject a particular venom that doesn’t kill the other insect but instead paralyzes them. Afterward, the wasp lays its eggs inside the frozen roach, and when the young wasp larvae hatch, they begin to feed on the roach’s internal organs until nothing is left and the roach is dead; then, the larvae burst out.
Photo by Michael Schiffer
Alien-Like Animals: Unwilling Workers
Some animals use other animals to get from one animal to another, while other animals turn other animals into cribs for their young. While body-snatching can be found in animals, it can also be found in the most unusual creatures: fungi. The fungus Ophiocordyceps unilateralis exclusively infects carpenter ants, which mill about, clueless to what is spreading across their bodies. As the fungus grows inside the ant, it slowly takes control of its nervous system; ergo, it takes control of the whole ant. The ant, now a mindless puppet, climbs up to a high point on a plant, the perfect location for the fungus to spore and infect other ants. On the highest point of a plant, the ant dies. The dead ant, with the fungus erupting from its body, is a gruesome yet fascinating example of a hijacked host.
The Extraterrestrial Connection: True… Or False?
While the science behind these phenomena is fascinating, some have linked body-snatching animals to extraterrestrial influence. The argument goes that these complex behaviors are too sophisticated to have evolved naturally and are a sign of alien intervention. Perhaps parasites or wasps are being used as unwitting pawns by an unseen force.
However, this explanation, while intriguing, is highly speculative. Evolution is a powerful force, and natural selection can lead to incredible adaptations, even if they seem almost unbelievable. There is no evidence to support the idea of extraterrestrial involvement in these body-snatching phenomena.
The Alien Stranger by Bob Ticer is a unique story about an alien invasion. While the bizarre creatures we’ve talked about in this article aren’t aliens, it’s still fun to read about fictional ones. Buy your copy through this link here.
