The Zombie Ant fungus is even more horrifying than you thought.

[DetlefK]

https://gizmodo.com/the-fungus-that-turns-ants-into-zombies-is-more-diaboli-1820301538

The fungus O. unilateralis infects a rainforest carpenter ant. The ant wanders outside, picks a nice place, and the fungus starts growing out of its body.

It has always been assumed that the fungus manipulates the brain of the ant.

The truth is far worse...





The fungus does not take over your brain. The brain stays intact.

The fungus starts producing chemicals that allow him to take over your genetic code. Your genes are now working for him. Your cells and your body are now working for him. The fungus is steering your body as if it were a part of the fungus-organism.

“The altered host behavior is an extended phenotype of the microbial parasite’s genes being expressed through the body of its host. But it’s unknown how the fungus coordinates these effects to manipulate the host’s behavior.”

By referring to the parasite’s “extended phenotype,” Fredericksen is referring to the way that O. unilateralis is able to hijack an external entity, in this case the carpenter ant, and make it a literal extension of its physical self.

...

The results were truly disturbing. Cells of O. unilateralis had proliferated throughout the entire ant’s body, from the head and thorax right down to the abdomen and legs. What’s more, these fungal cells were all interconnected, creating a kind of Borg-like, collective biological network that controlled the ants’ behavior.

“We found that a high percentage of the cells in a host were fungal cells,” said Hughes in a statement. “In essence, these manipulated animals were a fungus in ants’ clothing.”

But most surprising of all, the fungus hadn’t infiltrated the carpenter ants’ brains.





It has made your flesh its own. Your brain is intact, your consciousness still exists. And you are trapped inside what used to be YOUR body.

[rpannier]

1. Very Interesting

[spicysista]

2. wow!

This won't make falling asleep any easier.

[IADEMO2004]

3. Like facebook?

[Glorfindel]

4. Fascinating! Two questions: Does an ant actually have consciousness?

And, how long before some brilliant scientist discovers how to weaponize the fungus and use it for military purposes?

[DetlefK]

5. New defense bill would allow Pentagon to do medical experiments with soldiers:

https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2017/11/8/1713500/-New-defense-bill-would-allow-military-to-approve-drugs-and-medical-devices-without-FDA-consent

[TxDemChem]

6. Nature sure does some freaky things

But this is definitely a worse mechanism than I originally thought

[Wounded Bear]

7. They're here!!!!

[Sancho]

8. zombie ants? wow

[NeoGreen]

9. Mycologist Paul Stamets lists 6 ways the mycelium fungus can help save the universe

https://www.ted.com/talks/paul_stamets_on_6_ways_mushrooms_can_save_the_world

I will also post as an OP.

[SCantiGOP]

10. Could this explain

where Republicans come from?

[Thor_MN]

11. No (sane) one would ever accuse a Rethug if being a fun guy...

[miyazaki]

12. Reminds me of the book Blood Music. Except it was humans not ants. n/t