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'Zombie ants' controlled by parasitic fungus for 48m years
Guardian ^ | August 18th 2010 | Ian Sample

Posted on 08/17/2010 7:17:15 PM PDT by Cardhu

Earliest evidence of fungus that takes over ants' behaviour for its own ends found by scientists.

The oldest evidence of a fungus that turns ants into zombies and makes them stagger to their death has been uncovered by scientists.

The gruesome hallmark of the fungus's handiwork was found on the leaves of plants that grew in Messel, near Darmstadt in Germany, 48m years ago.

The finding shows that parasitic fungi evolved the ability to control the creatures they infect in the distant past, even before the rise of the Himalayas.

The fungus, which is alive and well in forests today, latches on to carpenter ants as they cross the forest floor before returning to their nests high in the canopy.

The fungus grows inside the ants and releases chemicals that affect their behaviour. Some ants leave the colony and wander off to find fresh leaves on their own, while others fall from their tree-top havens on to leaves nearer the ground.

The final stage of the parasitic death sentence is the most macabre. In their last hours, infected ants move towards the underside of the leaf they are on and lock their mandibles in a "death grip" around the central vein, immobilising themselves and locking the fungus in position.

"This can happen on mass. You can find whole graveyards with 20 or 30 ants in a square metre. Each time, they are on leaves that are a particular height off the ground and they have bitten into the main vein before dying," said David Hughes at Harvard University.

The fungus cannot grow high up in the canopy or on the forest floor, but infected ants often die on leaves midway between the two, where the humidity and temperature suit the fungus.

(Excerpt) Read more at guardian.co.uk ...


TOPICS: Pets/Animals; Science
KEYWORDS: ant; ants; controlled; fungus; godsgravesglyphs; parasitic; years; zombie; zombieants; zombies
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To: DariusBane
Steven King material.

Heinlein did it before King was born.

The Puppet Masters

L

21 posted on 08/17/2010 9:38:30 PM PDT by Lurker (The avalanche has begun. The pebbles no longer have a vote.)
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To: April Lexington

I seriously don’t think Soros is a fungi


22 posted on 08/17/2010 9:40:05 PM PDT by null and void (We are now in day 570 of our national holiday from reality. - 0bama really isn't one of US.)
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To: Whitebread
Theres a fungus among us.

Aw leave him alone. He's a fungi.

So yeah, anyhow... (sorry. had to)

23 posted on 08/17/2010 9:40:33 PM PDT by dware (3 prohibited topics in mixed company: politics, religion and operating systems...)
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To: Lurker

You’ve mentioned The Puppet Masters before, thanks for bringing it up again. It is one I will have missed until tomorrow.


24 posted on 08/17/2010 9:54:55 PM PDT by MurrietaMadman (Luke 23:31)
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To: sjmjax

Like yeast, maybe? Will he rise again?


25 posted on 08/17/2010 10:48:12 PM PDT by ThanhPhero (di tray hoi den La Vang)
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To: WilliamofCarmichael
'Zombie Democrats' controlled by parasitic "fund us"

Here's a parasitic fundus, which is probably Dem:

Most likely a few fungi [and yeasty beasties] crawling around in there somewhere, too.

26 posted on 08/17/2010 11:07:48 PM PDT by ApplegateRanch (Made in America, by proud American citizens, in 1946.)
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To: Cardhu

27 posted on 08/17/2010 11:17:08 PM PDT by Lancey Howard
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To: Cardhu

28 posted on 08/17/2010 11:27:40 PM PDT by Daffynition (There is no other cheese.)
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To: Cardhu

48m years ago. The perfunctory millions of imaginary years. Ya, right. Gotta keep giving the masses their daily doses of indoctrination.


29 posted on 08/17/2010 11:31:37 PM PDT by Bellflower (All meaning is in The LORD.)
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To: Bellflower

Yep. There’s a fun-gus a-mung us.

Because the Creator put it there.


30 posted on 08/17/2010 11:34:36 PM PDT by EternalVigilance (What does the LORD require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?)
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To: SeaDragon

Phase IV, Fungus style!


31 posted on 08/18/2010 8:30:20 AM PDT by RikaStrom (Pray for Obama - Psalm 109:8 "Let his days be few; and let another take his place of leadership.")
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To: Cardhu; SunkenCiv

We serve the fungus!

32 posted on 08/18/2010 9:52:51 AM PDT by colorado tanker
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To: Cardhu; JoeProBono
Zombie aunts?


33 posted on 08/18/2010 11:48:02 AM PDT by a fool in paradise (Those who support the construction of the WTC mosque oppose Christian missionaries working abroad.)
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To: RandallFlagg

Z


34 posted on 08/18/2010 12:09:37 PM PDT by Doomonyou (Let them eat Lead.)
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To: RikaStrom
Phase IV, Fungus style!

LOLOL

No kidding. Love that movie.

35 posted on 08/18/2010 12:38:03 PM PDT by SeaDragon ("Life is tough ..... It's even tougher if you're stupid." - John Wayne)
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To: CholeraJoe; Delta 21; Nikas777; NoAmnesty; Yorlik803; TheOldLady; The Comedian; OB1kNOb; ...

Thanks for the ping, Doomonyou.
36 posted on 08/18/2010 2:19:34 PM PDT by RandallFlagg (Let this chant follow BHO everywhere he goes: "You lie. You lie. You lie.")
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To: Cardhu
bwains!
37 posted on 08/18/2010 2:29:27 PM PDT by steveo (2010 never again)
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To: Roscoe Karns

Oh Jesus - is that ant sucking Helen Thomas?


38 posted on 08/18/2010 2:37:20 PM PDT by GOPJ (Where's Obama's condemnation of bitter Muslims who cling to their religion?-FreeperTChad)
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To: RandallFlagg
Don't-tell-me-the-Zombie-Apocalypse-can't-happen ping!


Frowning takes 68 muscles.
Smiling takes 6.
Pulling this trigger takes 2.
I'm lazy.

39 posted on 08/18/2010 2:40:40 PM PDT by The Comedian (Evil can only succeed if good men don't point at it and laugh.)
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To: sjmjax

Ants usually work hard and are intelligent. Don’t think any Obama voters carry that fungus.


40 posted on 08/18/2010 7:35:40 PM PDT by U S Army EOD
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