Mind-controlling fungus discovered, ants turned to zombies

[Ifreann]

Old news.

Also, this would make for a great biological weapon.

This would be a fail bio weapon.

First, we find a way to advance the growth AND to implemet the fungi with objectives. How the hell do we accomplish that?.

Second, we get it to where it's going.

Third, it makes it to the person's brain.

Fourth, what exactly does the person do?

Zeroth: Overcome the huge differences between an ant's brain and a human's.

[Knoxcrest]

This would be a fail bio weapon.

First, we find a way to advance the growth AND to implemet the fungi with objectives. How the hell do we accomplish that?.

Second, we get it to where it's going.

Third, it makes it to the person's brain.

Fourth, what exactly does the person do?

Zeroth: Overcome the huge differences between an ant's brain and a human's.

Da. That too.

[Volnotova]

This would be a fail bio weapon.

First, we find a way to advance the growth AND to implemet the fungi with objectives. How the hell do we accomplish that?.

Second, we get it to where it's going.

Third, it makes it to the person's brain.

Fourth, what exactly does the person do?

Hmm, maybe a better choice of words would have been "interesting".

Old news.

Also, this would make for a great biological weapon.

In humanity's long-running War on Bugs.

Of course, what else.

[ZombieRothbard]

YESSSS!!! I wasn't stockpiling shotguns and crucifixes in my basement for nothing!

[Knoxcrest]

YESSSS!!! I wasn't stockpiling shotguns and crucifixes in my basement for nothing!

When the zombie ants come to your home I guess the best approach would be to spray them with lead rather than step on them.

[ZombieRothbard]

YESSSS!!! I wasn't stockpiling shotguns and crucifixes in my basement for nothing!

When the zombie ants come to your home I guess the best approach would be to spray them with lead rather than step on them.

Indeed.

Maybe zombie movies now will have people with fungus stalks protruding from the back of their heads?

[Machinarium]

So, let's ask ourselves a question. Could this fungi evolve and become capable of infecting larger animals? Could it possibly begin to become a danger to more species of insects and other animals?

(Image)

Of course not, the chinese are already eating it!

no, seriously.

[The Unjustly Deleted]

Cool, zombie ants.

Less scary than human zombies though. :/

[Coccygia]

Even freakier, I think, is the protist parasite Toxoplasma. It infects mice, causing them to lose their fear of cats and actually be attracted to the smell of cat urine. The parasite needs to pass into cats, you see. Diabolical, n'est-ce pas? E. Fuller Torrey thinks toxoplasma may cause human schizophrenia (personally I think he's just a cat hater.)

[Caninope]

Old news.

Also, this would make for a great biological weapon.

In humanity's long-running War on Bugs.

Yes. Ever since we came down from the trees and began walking on two legs, those flies have been attacking us. They want revenge on us for seceding from the Animal Kingdom. They're the equivalent of terrorist insurgents.

[The Weregerbil Horde]

This is why we need to preserve rainforests. They're a treasure-trove of undiscovered nasties. If we lose all that, we will be set back decades in the noble quest for gruesome ways to kill each other!

[Coccygia]

And then, of course, there's the flatworm parasite that makes snails crawl up to the tops of blades of grass the better for them to be eaten by birds (the parasite needs to be in a bird for the next stage of the life cycle.)

[Lessnt]

Soon....if we engineer...this fungi....to do this to....all ants....we can....save ourselves from them....Just need to make the fungi breed....near ant colonies....

[Nationstatelandsville]

We shall harness this fungi and use it for our own purposes! FINALLY, WORLD DOMINATION PEACE APPROACHES!

[Greed and Death]

Old news.

Also, this would make for a great biological weapon.

IT is sort of old news, my understanding is they knew about the mind controlling fungus the discovery is there are several species of said fungus.

A video on it from 2006
http://www.metacafe.com/watch/331826/ant_fungus/

[Anitgrum]

Old news.

Also, this would make for a great biological weapon.

It already weaponized at least for locusts anyways.

[Night Terra]

Imagine it genetically modified to work on humans!

[The Tribes Of Longton]

David Attenborough brought this to British television in about 2006.

Would you like to know more?

[Coccygia]

Then there's one I heard about on NPR yesterday: a parasitic wasp (or is it a fly?) that infects a caterpillar. Nothing new there, but the wasp's cocoon forms on the outside of the caterpillar, and the parasite forces the caterpillar to defend the cocoon (which is slowly killing the caterpillar) against all threats.

Kinda like having a military draft.

[H N Fiddlebottoms VIII]

YESSSS!!! I wasn't stockpiling shotguns and crucifixes in my basement for nothing!

When the zombie ants come to your home I guess the best approach would be to spray them with lead rather than step on them.

There is no rule that says you can't kill a horsefly with a hand grenade (or an ant with a shotgun, whatever). It might not be very practical, it might destroy your kitchen, and it might alienate your friends, but you are not physically prevented from doing so by the laws of the Universe.
Some people might object to the blasphemous idea that crucifixes are best used as fly swatters, however. I, personally, object on the basis that a crucifix would be to big and heavy to effectively crush an insect before it escaped. Although, since these ants will be gathering around your house in order to stop moving, die and be devoured from the inside by a fungus, it probably won't be so hard to crush them with a large, unwieldy chunk of wood/gold/silver/stone. Or shoot them. Or you could just step on them. Whatever.

[Lessnt]

Then there's one I heard about on NPR yesterday: a parasitic wasp (or is it a fly?) that infects a caterpillar. Nothing new there, but the wasp's cocoon forms on the outside of the caterpillar, and the parasite forces the caterpillar to defend the cocoon (which is slowly killing the caterpillar) against all threats.

Kinda like having a military draft.

Aww....inter-species drafting....
Nature has learned from our wars.

[Call to power]

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.

"sounds like my ex-wife!"

[Mushet]

The forest is fighting back