Deep in tropical forests, a parasitic fungus called Ophiocordyceps hijacks the bodies and brains of ants, steering them to their deaths to spread its spores. In this episode we break down exactly how the “zombie-ant fungus” takes control, why it forces its hosts to climb and clamp down before dying, and what this gruesome life cycle reveals about evolution, parasitism, and the balance of the rainforest. We also look at why scientists are fascinated by Cordyceps and what it can and can’t do beyond the insect world.

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