Zombie Fungus Found In 99-Million-Year-Old Amber; zombifies insects' behavior

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Posted by AI on 2025-06-26 16:50:42 | Last Updated by AI on 2025-06-26 14:48:46

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99 million years ago, nature was showcasing its own horror show with a zombie fungus that took control of insects' minds and behavior. This finding, discovered in a fossilized amber, proves that the zombie genre has roots far before humans started telling the tales.

The now-extinct fungus species, called Ophiocordyceps obongensis, was revealed in a study published in Nature Communications. It is the oldest known example of the fungus, which grows inside the bodies of insects, manipulating their behavior.

Scientists have dubbed this phenomenon "zombie fungi" due to its parasitic behavior of taking over its host's mind, which eventually leads to the host's death. This newly discovered fossilized fungus burrowed its way into the brains of insects, steering them away from light and towards darkness. These insects include flies and termites.

"Many fungi grow by invading and digesting their hosts, but these fungi are more sinister because they exert precise control over their host first," said study author Paul Eggleton from the University of York.

Scientists say this discovery provides a glimpse into the vast diversity of fungi, which has been vastly underrepresented in the fossil record. With this insight, researchers hope to gain a greater understanding of fungi's capabilities and how it can be utilized in the future.

"Fungi are incredibly successful but under-studied members of our natural world," said Eggleton.

This discovery of Ophiocordyceps obongensis might be the oldest known example of zombie fungi, but it also sheds light on the evolution of the relationship between fungi and insects.

"Our finding illustrates that fungi have been exploiting insects for millions of years, and that this kind of fungus-host relationship is older than dinosaurs," said study co-author Chi Tai Tsai. "But this is just one branch of the tree. There are probably many other stories of fungi manipulating animal behavior that we just don't know about yet."

Who knows what other zombie horrors nature has in store?

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