The Ophiocordyceps unilateralis fungus has just one goal: self-propagation and dispersal. To do so, the parasitic fungus hijacks ants ’ bodies, essentially turning them into zombies.

One kind of tiny ant can serve as a monumental example for how to keep members of a community safe from pathogens. A new ...

In the dense forests of South America and Southeast Asia, a parasite operates with chilling precision. Ophiocordyceps unilateralis, often called the zombie-ant fungus, infects ants, invades their ...

The chilling scenario is drawn straight from a horror movie. But in this case, fact is scarier than fiction.

Fungal interactions with ant species represent a fascinating and complex interface that influences both individual physiology and colony-level dynamics. Research has shown that fungal infections, ...

The world can be a scary place. Global pandemics, catastrophic climate change. But humans have made it this far, so why bat an eye at a deadly zombie fungus? HBO’s highly anticipated TV adaptation of ...

The Last of Us drew from a nature documentary featuring the Cordyceps fungus, which also inspired another zombie apocalypse ...

Editor’s note: A version of this story appeared in CNN’s Wonder Theory science newsletter. To get it in your inbox, sign up for free here. Some of the most intriguing science fiction springs from ...