Over-educated and Underfunded
Weird, wacky and wonderful stories and sketches from biologists in the field.
The lifecycle of Ophiocordyceps unilateralis in rainforest ants.The Ophiocordyceps unilateralis is a fungus that uses ants as hosts to reach tall heights to release and spread their spores up to 30 meters. It attacks the nervous system in the muscles of the ant, controlling the ant's movement. This fungus is found in tropical areas where the warm dark rainforests help the fungi thrive. Its survival plays an important part in keeping ant populations in check, and can attack an entire colony by targeting only 3 or 4 individuals at a time. But don't worry it can't turn humans into tree climbing zombies, not yet at least.
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About the AuthorsThese stories come from several biologists working in the field around the globe. Archives
July 2020
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