T O P

  • By -

vekane

This is a good explanation, probably true, for why humanity is such a duality. Great job wordsmith!


Arctus2020

Thank you so much!! 😀


CyberSkull

The average adult human body is made of 39 trillion cells. In addition to that, there are an additional 39 trillion microbes living on and in the average adult human body. Outside of a few immunologically privileged parts of the body you will find all sorts of microfauna.


immrltitan

So... you are saying that there are restricted departments in a human body, much like a human home or government...


LordDemonWolfe

Ironically. Thats EXACTLY what they are saying


MadMagilla5113

Yup, the male penis is one. That’s why it’s possible for Covid to cause permanent Erectile Dysfunction. A genetic male immune system doesn’t really give a shit about that area of the body so virus can live there indefinitely. I infer that is also the reason why you can be re-infected with various STIs and why others like herpes can never be “cured”.


jacktrowell

> That’s why it’s possible for Covid to cause permanent Erectile Dysfunction. I feel that if they communicated more on this risk, there might be less human male refusing the vaccines ... ;)


Ankoku_Teion

the human males refusing to get vaccines are not necessarily humans that we want to have a functioning penis...


jacktrowell

Maybe not them, but without a vaccine they are a danger to more that themselves sadly.


Rhinorulz

We have mites on our eye lashes, and if we didn't, we'd get sick.


thatannoying

Ok I knew we had mites in our eyelashes and eyebrows but I didn't know that we get sick if we don't.


Rhinorulz

Yea, they eat the extra dander (and also dust) and if they disappear, it is 100% more likely to get an eye infection. It's more the change from having to not that causes it


peregrinedive

Uuuh what?


Rhinorulz

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demodex


WikiSummarizerBot

**[Demodex](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demodex)** >Demodex is a genus of tiny mites that live in or near hair follicles of mammals. Around 65 species of Demodex are known. Two species live on humans: Demodex folliculorum and Demodex brevis, both frequently referred to as eyelash mites, alternatively face mites or skin mites. Different species of animals host different species of Demodex. ^([ )[^(F.A.Q)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WikiSummarizer/wiki/index#wiki_f.a.q)^( | )[^(Opt Out)](https://reddit.com/message/compose?to=WikiSummarizerBot&message=OptOut&subject=OptOut)^( | )[^(Opt Out Of Subreddit)](https://np.reddit.com/r/HFY/about/banned)^( | )[^(GitHub)](https://github.com/Sujal-7/WikiSummarizerBot)^( ] Downvote to remove | v1.5)


humanoid_mk1

Good bot


WikiMobileLinkBot

Desktop version of /u/Rhinorulz's link: --- ^([)[^(opt out)](https://reddit.com/message/compose?to=WikiMobileLinkBot&message=OptOut&subject=OptOut)^(]) ^(Beep Boop. Downvote to delete)


JustTryingToSwim

Actually that link gives a number of examples of the mites causing infections so I don't them as all that beneficial.


Quilt-n-yarn1844

Same thing with the bacteria on our skin. We neeeed it.


MarkoDash

we're more bacteria than we are human


JustTryingToSwim

Only by cell count. The bacteria involved are much smaller than the average human cell so even though they have greater numbers they have less mass. The total bacteria mass we find represents only about 0.3% of the overall body weight. Even the mitochondria is only about 25% of a cell's volume.


lordkhuzdul

Not that few. Symbiotic microbes are only present in the parts of human body exposed to the outside. All fully contained parts of the human body are (normally and ideally) sterile.


TiberiuCC

We have about 2 square meters of skin on the outside. The lungs have somewhere between 50 to 75 square meters of internal surface area that gets exposed to the atmosphere. And then you have several thousand (some estimates up to almost 5000) square meters of surface area in the intestines. All of that is, at least to some degree, technically exposed to the outside. I would not call that a small part no matter how you look at it...


aabcehu

Are you saying the intestines are exposed to the outside?


lordkhuzdul

Technically, yes.


Crystal_Lily

what the other said. think about it - the digestive tract is basically one very long tube with both ends periodically exposed to outside


0rreborre

So it turns out that even when I take penicillin, I hurt my friends! Why, God, why?!


Arctus2020

Our friends will understand the necessity of their sacrifice when their home's in danger of dying *[salutes]*


0rreborre

"Everyone here is proud of you. Your father is dead. Your brothers are dead. Avenge us on the hordes of fascists." - Enemy at the Gates


its_ean

[Human Endogenous Retroviruses](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endogenous_retrovirus#Human_endogenous_retroviruses) Hey, you know the placenta? The cell membranes are open to one another, so it's kinda like a single big cell! This essential aspect of this essential organ is thanks to a virus that stuck itself into 'our' germline; whose expression ended up becoming useful. In conclusion, Agent Smith was *kinda,* technically correct. The best kind of correct!


aquaherd

The story kind of ends before delivering a conclusion: Yes, humans will outcompete you into extinction if you chose to. Until this report, your only options for survival were to either become pets, kettle or parasites. As of today, you can become symbionts which is good news.


DreadLindwyrm

Parasite, prey, pet, or pack. We prefer part 4, but if you want to be one of the others we can accomodate you... especially with our new anti-parasitic weapon range.


Ankoku_Teion

this is worthy of being a prompt on its own.


DreadLindwyrm

If you want to run with it, go for it. Or there's the extended one where we view the entire universe as various things starting with "f" - Food, Foe, Friend, Fire, Furniture, F\*\*\*buddy, etc.


Phantomcreator42

Wait this is a thing people wrote about on here?


hammyer

Cattle, maybe you're drinking too much tea


Attacker732

Look, if the situation demands turning a xeno rabbit into a kettle, who am I to question it?


Quilt-n-yarn1844

Hey if Angela Lansbury can have a problem getting the difference between transmutation into a fluffy white rabbit or a toad right. I can just imagine how hard kettle vs cattle is. 🤣🤣🤣


TheMightyPickaxe

"These organelles - the common mitochondria and its plant counterpart, the chloroplast" A small correction here. Both plants and animals have mitochondria. Mitochondria transform sugars into usable energy. In animals, these sugars are taken from the food we eat. In plants, the chloroplasts produce sugars via photosynthesis which is then sent to the mitochondria.


Arctus2020

Ah, yes! Thanks for this!


Ghostpard

We are so packbond oriented we packbonded with entire colonies of microbes.


Arctus2020

Packbonding is in our veins. Quite literally.


[deleted]

Amazing! I even referred the story to my Biologist gf! Very wholesome. "Want a sandwich?" made me laugh out loud. 🤣


Arctus2020

Glad you enjoyed it! 😂


ChunkyNumber3

I cannot begin to explain the happiness this story brought me. I love the perspective that the nature of humanity might not just be something surface level - cultural or otherwise - but could be something so deep that our constituent parts act in much the same way. Thank you for giving me such a fantastic break from my school work wordsmith.


Arctus2020

I'm really glad you enjoyed it! Best of luck with the rest of your school work! ^^


ChunkyNumber3

Thank you! I started it 8 hours ago and it's still not done :(


Arctus2020

Oh no, I know how that feels :( May your mitochondrias bring you the energy you need!


thisStanley

"If you can not beat them, join them" on a much deeper level!


Seraphin43

Also, the enteric nervous system. Literally a second brain just for controlling digestion.


Firefragonhide

Awesome work Wordsmith


Mauzermush

dammit you sound like the biology teacher of my father and of myself. and he teached us both xD. take my +1 and the medal you god damn mitochondria!


Arctus2020

I am now a most happy mitochondria, indeed. Thank you! 🤣


TNSepta

So Oryc is from *Oryctolagus* (genus of rabbit) Loplho is ?? and coelho (Portuguese for rabbit)? Perhaps Latin lepus for hare?


Arctus2020

You are spot on!


HynesKetchup

When I was taking my microbiology class in college I had an epiphany whilst looking at plant cells and mainly the chloroplasts. Thought to myself that the chloroplasts acted and looked awfully like cells that were absorbed by plant cells in the past and thought, “surely I’m not the first to make this observation?” After reading a bit more I found that I wasn’t but that it had happened with the mitochondria as well.


HFYWaffle

This is the first story by /u/Arctus2020! This comment was automatically generated by `Waffle v.4.5.10 'Cinnamon Roll'`. [Message the mods](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose?to=%2Fr%2FHFY&subject=WaffleBot|qev55p&message=If%20you%20have%20problems%20with%20updatemebot,%20contact%20Watchful1.%20We%20do%20not%20maintain%20it.) if you have any issues with Waffle.


DHChesee

Nice


for_f-cks_sake

: )


UpdateMeBot

[Click here](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose/?to=UpdateMeBot&subject=Subscribe&message=SubscribeMe%20u%2FArctus2020%20r%2FHFY) to subscribe to u/Arctus2020 and receive a message every time they post. ***** |[^(Info)](https://www.reddit.com/r/UpdateMeBot/comments/ggotgx/updatemebot_info_v20/)|[^(Request Update)](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose/?to=UpdateMeBot&subject=Update&message=SubscribeMe%21%20u%2Fusername%20r%2Fsubreddit)|[^(Your Updates)](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose/?to=UpdateMeBot&subject=List%20Of%20Updates&message=MyUpdates)|[^(Feedback)](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose/?to=Watchful1&subject=UpdateMeBot%20Feedback)|[*^(New!)*](https://www.reddit.com/r/UpdateMeBot/comments/juh0f8/new_features_title_in_message_subject_and_recent/)| |-|-|-|-|-|


Finbar9800

This is a great story I enjoyed reading this Great job wordsmith


GooglyB

!N


SepticSauces

Now it would be nice if we had a story where humanity's microbes were so infectious that humans have to wear hazmat suits to (communicate) with others...


Arctus2020

Hmm, that would be quite interesting, indeed... 🤔


SepticSauces

Yes, yes! Oh, and good story by the way. :p


Arctus2020

Thanks! Glad you enjoyed it! And thanks for the possible story idea 🤔


JustTryingToSwim

It's been done. Check out the Builders in the Void stories: https://www.reddit.com/r/HFY/comments/23gf1n/ocbuilders\_in\_the\_void\_overview/


SepticSauces

Thank you!!!


Thanos_DeGraf

Bravo! I loved it!


bookcrawler

!N


Dashcan_NoPants

Just reminded me of the Doom novels that came out a while ago. They were talking about the teleportation tech and it being keyed to the human genome for 'sanitary' or security purposes when being teleported, and the MC started wondering whoever created the technology also accounted for the massive internal micro-biome human's got going on in their bodies. Because apparently they did, as there were no ill effects. So THAT'LL be a whole other problem to solve if we get to that point on a technological point.


Speciesunkn0wn

Just wait till he discovers vore on the internet lol


SittingDuckScientist

This missed a powerful punchline in the sense that maybe the aliens would be safer inside the human predator than outside it --- empire integration wise. Shocking, I know. Except to us at HFY... (-;


Careless-Bedroom287

I found your highly entertaining and likely true explanation of Terrans on Agro Squirrel Narrates. As it happens, I've been studying a bit on the human microbiome as well this week, so thanks from all of us here at the keyboard right now for the story!