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"Zombie" Ants Found With New Mind-Control Fungi

Discussion in 'BBS Hangout' started by HMMMHMM, Mar 5, 2011.

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  1. HMMMHMM

    HMMMHMM Contributing Member

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    This is awesome and scary at the same time.

    [rquoter]
    A stalk of the newfound fungus species Ophiocordyceps camponoti-balzani, grows out of a "zombie" ant's head in a Brazilian rain forest.

    Originally thought to be a single species, called Ophiocordyceps unilateralis, the fungus is actually four distinct species—all of which can "mind control" ants—scientists announced Wednesday.

    The fungus species can infect an ant, take over its brain, and then kill the insect once it moves to a location ideal for the fungi to grow and spread their spores.

    (Related pictures: ""Zombie" Ants Controlled, Decapitated by Flies.")

    All four known fungi species live in Brazil's Atlantic rain forest, which is rapidly changing due to climate change and deforestation, said study leader David Hughes, an entomologist at Penn State University.

    Hughes and colleagues made the discovery after noticing a wide diversity of fungal growths emerging from ant victims, according to the March 2 study in the journal PLoS ONE.

    "It is tempting to speculate that each species of fungus has its own ant species that it is best adapted to attack," Hughes said.

    "This potentially means thousands of zombie fungi in tropical forests across the globe await discovery," he said. "We need to ramp up sampling—especially given the perilous state of the environment."
    [/rquoter]
    http://news.nationalgeographic.com/...fungus-new-species-fungi-bugs-science-brazil/

    <iframe title="YouTube video player" width="640" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/XuKjBIBBAL8" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

    :eek:
     
    #1 HMMMHMM, Mar 5, 2011
  2. Jontro

    Jontro Member

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    Yuck I was eating when I watched this, lost my appetite a bit.

    With that aside, this seem like yet another "good" movie idea for M. Night Schmalalaysiaman. Brain eating fungi with mind control? Another Marky Mark or Bruce Villis on its way?
     
    #2 Jontro, Mar 5, 2011
  3. jcee15

    jcee15 Contributing Member

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    It's perilous because of us, we don't need to do anything.
     
    #3 jcee15, Mar 5, 2011
  4. crossover

    crossover Contributing Member

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    Here comes Resident Evil and The Happening, the documentaries.
     
    #4 crossover, Mar 5, 2011
  5. DonnyMost

    DonnyMost be kind. be brave.

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    Reminds me of an episode of king of the hill.
     
    #5 DonnyMost, Mar 5, 2011
  6. The Real Shady

    The Real Shady Contributing Member

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    <iframe title="YouTube video player" width="480" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/TevQS4qgE_Q" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
     
    #6 The Real Shady, Mar 5, 2011
  7. Lil Pun

    Lil Pun Contributing Member

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    I wonder if this could be used someday to control those damned fire ants.
     
    #7 Lil Pun, Mar 5, 2011
  8. TheRealist137

    TheRealist137 Member

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    pretty creepy and interesting.
     
    #8 TheRealist137, Mar 5, 2011
  9. KingCheetah

    KingCheetah Contributing Member

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    This is one of those evolutionary head scratchers -- how in the hell did that thing come into existence...
     
    #9 KingCheetah, Mar 5, 2011
  10. dback816

    dback816 Member

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    Mutation -> Survival -> Offsprings

    Just like everything else
     
    #10 dback816, Mar 5, 2011
  11. DreamShook

    DreamShook Member

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    I miss the Discovery Channel...
     
    #11 DreamShook, Mar 5, 2011
  12. KingCheetah

    KingCheetah Contributing Member

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    No, this proves that the devil played a part in creating the earth -- he is god's advocate.
     
    #12 KingCheetah, Mar 5, 2011
  13. mylilpony

    mylilpony Member

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    [​IMG]
     
    #13 mylilpony, Mar 6, 2011
    2 people like this.
  14. cheke64

    cheke64 Member

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    dat dude shredded. Motivation. BRB hitting weights
     
    #14 cheke64, Mar 6, 2011
    1 person likes this.
  15. percicles

    percicles Contributing Member

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    OWN is Winning!
     
    #15 percicles, Mar 6, 2011
  16. The Real Shady

    The Real Shady Contributing Member

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    As I was scrolling down that pic I thought I was going to get Oden'ed by Bert.
     
    #16 The Real Shady, Mar 6, 2011
  17. DonkeyMagic

    DonkeyMagic Contributing Member
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    [​IMG]
     
    #17 DonkeyMagic, Mar 6, 2011
  18. DreamShook

    DreamShook Member

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    Bi-Winning...
     
    #18 DreamShook, Mar 6, 2011
  19. 16dots

    16dots Member

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    These dead ants worth about 5k USD per lb, precious Chinese medicine ingredient.
     
    #19 16dots, Mar 6, 2011
  20. rtsy

    rtsy Member

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    I used to party with that ant. He's a fungi.
     
    #20 rtsy, Mar 6, 2011
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