Mycobacterium Memes

Ever notice how pathogens have the audacity to offer us the worst deals in history? Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the bacterial mastermind behind TB, presents itself as a cellular landlord: "I'll just crash at your place, take over your lungs, and in exchange, you get that Victorian-era aesthetic with rosy cheeks and a delicate cough that screams 'I'm the protagonist of a tragic novel'!" The bacillus gets free accommodation in your respiratory system while you get... consumption. Talk about asymmetric negotiation skills! No wonder it's survived for thousands of years - it's basically the microbiological equivalent of that friend who crashes on your couch "just for a weekend" and is somehow still there three months later.