Bizzare Facts
Bizarre Fact:
Some fungi create zombies.
Quick Explanation:
The Ophiocordyceps fungus infects ants, takes control of their bodies, and forces them to climb to a high spot to spread spores.
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The Full Story:
The concept of the 'zombie apocalypse' exists in nature, thanks to the **Ophiocordyceps unilateralis** fungus. When this fungus infects a tropical carpenter ant, it hijacks the insect's central nervous system using chemical signals.
The ant loses its free will and is compelled to leave its colony, climb a plant stalk to a precise height with ideal humidity, and clamp its jaws onto a leaf in a 'death grip.' The ant then dies, and the fungus consumes its insides before sprouting a stalk from the ant's head to rain spores down on the colony below. It is a terrifyingly sophisticated biological takeover that inspired the video game and show *The Last of Us*.
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