The Atlantic rainforests of Brazil are a hotspot for biodiversity but they are also one of the most threatened ecosystems. 92% of this rainforests original coverage has already been lost. One of the reasons it is so important to protect this rainforest is the amazing species that call this place home, like a zombifying ant fungus!
Researchers have recently discovered a group of four kinds of fungus that can take over an ant’s body, controlling their behavior and turning them into zombies… spooky. After this fungus takes control of an unsuspecting ant it scopes out a sweet spot to spread its spores killing the poor zombie in the process.
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2011-03/plos-fns030111.php
I have seen that before.
Wow. Zombie ants!!!!!!! Creeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeepyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy…
I wonder if the fungus can affect humans…
It is kind of odd, but most likely it is not strong enough to poison a human.
me too
First of all why don’t they show a pic of the fungus second they probabbly won’t be able to control a human and if it can then I wonder if there will be a zombie attack anytime soon but I doubt it and third poor ants and do they have to bite the fungus or touch it or does it just send a signal wave for any ants near and finally fourth does it hurt any more than a regular ant bite?
I think they touch the fungus to be a zombie
Wish there was a video. Once I saw a video of the same type of fungus thing except it was on snails! Weird…
zombieeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I always knew monsters were real!!!