4 ms·

this has me convinced https://blogs.biomedcentral.com/bugbitten/2014/11/05/zombie-ants-have-been-manipulated-by-secretions-from-a-killer-fungus/ https://blogs.

• s1artibartfast 5y ago
  This is a compiles and amazingly complex mechanism of propagation, but doesn't require any intelligence or awareness on the part of the fungus. Just millions of years of evolution and deterministic neurochemistry.
  • p_j_w 5y ago
    >Just millions of years of evolution and deterministic neurochemistry. That sounds an awful lot like a human being.
  • 6510 5y ago
    The fungus cant get that many winning bingo cards in a row. It looks more to me like getting a good hand of cards and playing them well.
• colechristensen 5y ago
  It shouldn't. Diseases very often modify the behavior of the host to help them spread. They don't do it "intelligently" they do it on accident by hitting on a modification of the host which results in better transmission of the disease. Covid makes you cough to spread little droplets filled with virii, rabies makes mammals violent so they'll bite to spread infection through saliva. It isn't through intense manipulation, it's by pulling a few levers. One species taking advantage of another species through biochemistry is extremely common. Every psychoactive drug, poison, etc. are all manipulations through chemistry.