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July 20, 2012

The Golden Worms of Tibet

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A ten-year-old girl's gloved hand holds the tiny, dirt-covered biological curiosity: Yartsa gunbu is a combination of moth larva (caterpillar) and parasitic fungus. The high-priced “worms,” as the infected larvae are called, are believed to cure everything from hair loss to hepatitis. Across the Tibetan Plateau, these creatures have transformed the rural economy. They’ve sparked a modern-day gold rush. -- From National Geographic Magazine

Posted by gerardvanderleun at July 20, 2012 7:57 PM. This is an entry on the sideblog of American Digest: Check it out.

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