Your brain might have a tiny monster in it
Well, good morning, Edmonton. Just when you thought your day couldn't get any more... existential, here we are. I was reading through some of the weirder dispatches this morning, trying to decide if I should talk about the Alamo cannonball or the latest ULA launch delay, which, honestly, felt like a metaphor for something, probably the Oilers' power play sometimes. But then I saw this, and I genuinely had to pause. You know how sometimes you get a little shiver up your spine when you're walking along the River Valley trails at dusk, thinking about the sheer scale of the wilderness, even right here in the city? Yeah, this is like that, but for your internal landscape.
### A Resident You Didn't Invite
Here’s the deal: scientists used to think fatal brain infections from something called the JC virus were really rare, only happening if your immune system was practically non-existent. Like, you were already in a very bad way. Turns out, nope. They're now saying that a significant portion of the population – we're talking a *lot* of us – are likely already carrying this virus. It just... hangs out. Dormant. Until it decides not to be. They're calling it a "brain-eating virus," which, and I'm just spitballing here, doesn't sound ideal. Apparently, it's not as rare as previously thought, and it seems to have a far wider range of effects than just the catastrophic ones. It's the kind of thing that makes you want to go grab a coffee at one of those cozy spots on Whyte Avenue and just contemplate the fragile nature of existence.
* The JC virus was previously thought to cause fatal brain infections only in severely immunocompromised individuals. * New research suggests a vast majority of people are already infected with the virus. * The virus is often latent and asymptomatic, but can reactivate and cause serious neurological disease.
Honestly though, it just goes to show you what's lurking beneath the surface, doesn't it? Whether it's the geological strata under the North Saskatchewan River or the microscopic inhabitants of your own grey matter. Edmonton doesn't need your approval. Never did. But sometimes, you just need a moment to process the sheer audacity of the universe. This brain-eating virus, however dormant, is just another Tuesday in the grand scheme of things. It’s not -40°C, but it’s still something to make you feel genuinely alive.
Darren Fedoruk, MiTL Sports Desk, Edmonton.
If you want more things to make you question reality, Keith and the crew have you covered every morning — catch it live at mornings.live.