2311 Zombie Fungus

I wrote in a commentary recently about the fungus conspiracy. The amazing not-so-coincidental proliferation of fungoid entities around the earth. I mentioned the giant 4-square mile humongous fungus in the Oregon forest. And the addictive qualities of the yeast extract junkfood makers seem forced to put in our processed foods.

Naturally folks scorned me as some sort of wild-eyed conspiracy theorist. Perhaps destined to join the basement trolls extolling the supposed "facts" of 9/11 government involvement or Katy Perry being a member of the Illuminati. 

I confess, I do own a Blackberry and from time to time I sport an aluminum foil hat, but only for fashion purposes.

So if you doubt me, let me tell you about the "zombie ant fungus." This is a true story. Parents cover your children's ears. Once the zombie ant fungus infects its carpenter ant host, it compels it to climb a tree and then attach to the underside of a leaf. 

Okay so far, cats have been known to lead their masters outside late at night for no apparent reason. But the fungus, once the ant host dies, sprouts a long stalk through the dead corpse and then sprays spores down on the ant nest below. 

The fungus does this because, as scientists found, if the infected ant is left to die in the nest, other worker ants remove its corpse and no spores are spread. The zombie fungus countered the social immunity in the ant nest by evolving a very smart workaround. 

An indication of a higher power up to Intelligent Design? Simply an effect of a gajillion years of blind evolution? Or one small Fungus actually showing sentience? 

One thing's for sure. A zombie fungus doesn't sound fun at all.

BTW -- Aluminum hats block spores too.  

America, ya gotta love it.