Photograph by Jens Mortensen |
$5.95 each
Fancy taking Ebola to bed? How about the black death? Now’s your opportunity. You can also cuddle up with the common cold, give your loved one an ulcer, even snuggle up to Epstein-Barr virus, foe of the kiss-a-lot coed. Each of the fluffy bugs in the family of GIANTmicrobes, a collection of colorful plush toys modeled after disease-inducing viruses and bacteria, bears a fuzzy resemblance to the real thing—although they are, of course, millions of times bigger. The ulcer-inducing Helicobacter pylori, for example, sports a sprig of braided flagella, whiplike appendages that help the bacterium swim through the sea of mucus that lines the stomach wall. These furry microbes, which include the influenza virus, the bacterium behind bad breath, and the fungus that causes athlete’s foot, come equipped with fact cards detailing the history of their discovery as well as tips for treatment. The bugs’ doleful eyes will likely warm the hearts of almost anyone—except, perhaps, those truly afflicted by the pox, the plague, or other passing pestilence.
