Discover the Ancient Zombie Fungus-Fly: A Fascinating Amber Find from the Time of Dinosaurs

Science fiction often takes inspiration from real life, and a great example is the video game series “The Last of Us.” It features a mutant fungus that controls the minds of its hosts, akin to a real-life fungus that affects ants.

The creators of “The Last of Us” based this idea on the Ophiocordyceps fungus. This fungus takes over ants’ brains and eventually kills them, releasing spores to infect more hosts. In the game, this concept is expanded, showing how the fungi infect humans, causing terrifying transformations.

Recently, researchers discovered a fossilized fungi within 99-million-year-old amber. This find adds depth to our understanding of these mind-controlling parasites and how long they have been affecting insects. The preserved fungi were found alongside a fly, indicating that such interactions have persisted since the time of dinosaurs.

Yuhui Zhuang, a doctoral student at Yunnan University, points out that these ancient specimens can help scientists trace the ancestry of today’s parasitic fungi. They believe that this research could reveal connections between ancient and modern parasites that infect insects like carpenter ants.

In another interesting development, NASA and the European Space Agency have launched the Solar Orbiter, which has produced spectacular footage of the sun’s south pole. This mission could help scientists learn how the sun affects space weather. With new ways to study the universe, we are unraveling the mysteries of both our planet and distant celestial bodies.

In marine biology, recent drone footage captured orcas in the Salish Sea using bull kelp for grooming. This behavior, called “allokelping,” could foster social bonds among the whales. Michael Weiss, the research director at the Center for Whale Research, noted that these methods could provide insights into orca social structures.

Alongside these discoveries, conservation scientists are making strides in protecting Australia’s Great Barrier Reef with the help of “super corals,” which are more resilient to environmental changes. These efforts are crucial as we face threats to marine ecosystems.

This exploration of nature and science shows how the past and present interweave, revealing connections that inform our understanding of life on Earth today.

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