Sometimes, nature delivers something truly nightmarish. Take 'zombie fungus', for instance.
Once an ant has been sprinkled with its spores, the parasitic fungus 'Ophiocordyceps unilateralis' penetrates the cuticle and begins to infect the ant’s brain. It directs the ant upwards, where its deadly spores will have the most reach. When they’re high enough, the zombie ant bites down and grips the stem with its mandible, anchoring them in place.
The ant dies as the fungus takes over its body, and eventually, the parasite’s large stalk erupts right through the back of the ant’s head. When the parasite is done growing, its deadly spores burst from the tip, dispersing more death to the jungle floor. The cycle continues with any nearby ants.
Happy Saturday everyone.
Credit: shunfa Teh / Shutterstock
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