Mind-Controlling Cordyceps Turn Insects into Zombies | Bad Natured | BBC Earth

[@AmondW]

"...it doesn't effect humans" I said "yet" and smiled to myself, and then she said it and the smile disappeared.

[@KwasiAfriyie-pm4er]

Don't even think about it

[@abrampousada4599]

I stumbled across an ant hanging from a vine with what looked like spikes sticking out of it here in central Florida, and took a photo of it while hiking back in January 2023. Now I finally know what it was! So neat - thank you for sharing!

[@simeonvanstaden9917]

What scares me the most is how chaotically beautiful these mutations on the bugs look. Although it probably isn't the intention, it's almost as if the cordiceps is luring its next victim with the strange form it took shape on the bug.

[@ZennExile]

Fungi shouldn't scare you. We very literally evolved from fungi. I feel I'm kind of a fun guy still... But really though, the most terrifying thing about fungi isn't that it could infect us and wipe us out like some kinda zombie movie. It's those new chemicals they named after Keanu. They ones that effectively annihilate all fungi species. That should terrify you. Not only because fungi is the base of the food web that all terrestrial life, including humans rely on, but also that scientists are developing compounds that can completely eradicate all of a "type" of life on Earth. That's bad news bears. And since we know humans evolved from fungi, there's a clear path between eradicating all fungi, and eradicating all humans. These are weapons of mass destruction many times more deadly than even the largest theoretical nuclear bomb. And they are wearing a Keanu mask, telling the media how breathtaking it is. Did I mention the loss of global soil fungi correlates near perfectly with the rise of Carbon-12 in the atmosphere when measured over a period from 1901 to 2022? Yeah, the carbon crisis is in large part a soil crisis, and Keanu is coming to finish the job like John Wick. Scientists and scientific media very literally just celebrated the development of these wonder chemicals designed to annihilate all fungi. When rebuilding global soil fungi is the absolute largest natural carbon sink humans can directly participate in. Don't fear the fungi, fear the labcoats. That's the real lesson in all these zombie apocalypse movies.

[@kboltiz]

"What if, for instance, the earth were to get slightly warmer?" "Well, now there is reason to evolve" "And if that happens?" "We lose."

[@user-de2zo1bw4d]

What if the fungus fell on her and is now making her say “It does not infect humans” 😅

[@mileskennethbenas4643]

The last of us would become reality

[@fritzdaddy-135mmgetstagger4]

Well if you are stupid you could believe that or do some research

[@emilmihaidragomir8329]

Can easily be cured with a 4 bore 700nitro.😊

[@stuhff8169]

​@@emilmihaidragomir8329 easy there😂😂

[@thelordcomanderwhocriedwolf]

Not yet.

[@datguyphanindra1385]

That YET Man.

[@KwasiAfriyie-pm4er]

Don't even think about it.

[@jennyrosedeleon2557]

dang, so the host literally watches itself lose control of its own body until it dies. it can't even close its own eyes to stop watching the horrific show...

[@tatsusama3192]

Creepy. I thought these were bad enough with the ants becoming zombies. Now they've found out that the ant is 100 percent aware that it's no longer in control

[@markfryer9880]

Just to add that extra creepy dimension to the zombie ant story knowing that the poor ant is aware that it is out of control and can't do anything about it's predicament.

[@Summitic]

Finally BBC team, heard my calls and read my comments about cordycep. Thank you BBC. I want more content on cordyceps.

[@nathancomixproductions466]

Now I'm concerned on a number of levels.

[@VideoDotGoogleDotCom]

_"The_ _darker_ _side_ _of_ _our_ _planet..."_ I think it's pretty dark as it is.

[@ZennExile]

you mean dark like developing chemical compounds to annihilate all fungi species for industrial agricultural, while knowing full well that all terrestrial life is dependent on soil fungi for survival, and that all carbon-12 in the atmosphere comes from living organisms, the bulk of which existed not as plants or animals, but in the soil as microbes, like fungi, until we dug them up to prepare land for industrial agriculture... Dark like that?

[@AnthonyMonaghan]

The human side is the true dark side.

[@starboom7730]

Her: Don't worry, the parasites don't affect humans... The parasite controlling her: *Yet.*

[@touremuhammad5983]

What scares me most is that Cordyceps seems to be found in almost every major jungle on Earth bcuz 1st time I heard of it was watching a South American Bullet Ant get infected by the fungus.

[@MickeyFlipper]

Over 500 species of Cordyceps??? And possibly many more??? 😳

[@aruneemabanerjee1638]

That "yet"..... Was that necessary to say?? 😢

[@tatsusama3192]

RIGHT?!

[@cerovk6000]

She’s obviously a fan of a certain show.

[@barikiimrane1439]

that's the scariest yet i've ever heard

[@kaybrn6163]

"yet" brought chills down my spine

[@chrishepburn1503]

Where's Joel and Ellie when we need them

[@Azmodaeus49]

At some point, i expect cordyceps to jump from insects etc over to humans. The amazon forest is a test bed for that since there are so many species of the cordyceps there and in many asian forests/African forests too possibly

[@twinflowerfioretta]

She is amazing, great explanations & showing the creepy result of fungus,- stunning weird😯

[@Natureindica]

Nature is amazing everywhere and mysterious too. Save nature for better future 🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝

[@kavorka8855]

I'd say, replace it if you can.

[@cerovk6000]

@@kavorka8855😂

[@youngtula5581]

That “yet” at the end was real “cute”

[@user-lw9ut2ms6m]

Let’s pray that these cordyceps don’t mutate to be able to target humans

[@stuhff8169]

7:28- You know, I was kinda reassured before this ☹️

[@laquanlewis1590]

Great video. Very informative. And something to always learn. I enjoyed this video, love to learn about wildlife and nature.

[@fabiancofie1354]

Awesome reportage! I love BBC Earth ❤❤👏🏽

[@stream_gene]

Fungi have been on this planet long before humans and will likely outlive us too

[@WallyTony]

LOL this lady walked around the forrest with her chest exposed for maximum viewing.

[@PjayzSolutions]

Amazing stuff 👏 😊

[@HoShIfox19]

Amazing !

[@Djellowman]

Great video, except for the audio quality.

[@mrrn100]

Wonderful video thank you.

[@Compins]

This would be quite scary in fiction. The fact that this is actually happening in the same world which I live in is simply disturbing

[@paularomano5549]

I had opportunity of photographing an ant infected at Atlantic Rain Forest for more than a month. When I registered this evolution I still did not know what a Cordyceps is.

[@magdyelnady6477]

❤ Nature is wow

[@3winmundoanimal]

Cordyceps, a parasitic fungus, creates astonishing and eerie scenes in the rainforest. It infects insects and alters their behavior, eventually leading to their death. As the fungus grows, it releases spores to infect more hosts. Though these events may appear horrifying, they're a natural part of the rainforest ecosystem. Cordyceps plays a significant role in regulating insect populations. This fascinating phenomenon reminds us of the intricacies of nature and the delicate balance within ecosystems. 🍄🐜🌳

[@festivebear9946]

It's incredible how delicate this balance is as well. The second that this fungus, for example, becomes too potent and begins to spread rampantly, it's very likely that some bacteria/organism will evolve to feed on it, keeping that in check. But just as this can happen, it can go the other way, where nothing is able to evolve to stop the fungus and it overtakes the natural balance.

[@juliuskwak1263]

Cordyceps: "Excellent, we have concluded the 'Bad Natured' recording. Now begin the Food Network one featuring recipes to use cordyceps in."

[@fairuzmaileen5691]

"doesn't infect humans... yet" 😂 until a lab financed by economic powers decides to develop it, you know, as usual

[@arkael6134]

Great video !

[@jillipepper5353]

The largest living thing on earth, discovered so far, is a fungal mat that is over 4 miles square in Oregon , USA

[@AkuAku695]

Factions 2 never coming so this is the closest im gonna get to more last of us content

[@michaelyu3505]

So in theory, what happened in the Last of US may happen in the future if a correct mutation happen.

[@Jrockilla137]

I love you fungi overlords - spare my body and I shall serve you as you will.

[@cerovk6000]

Gae

[@SP-ki5gn]

Fascinating (btw the film shows Giant Hornbills)

[@ThisNThat0810]

I loved her accent but this was creepy as hell.

[@BlackStarASMR]

In my body there is a fungus growing.

[@DeathAngel4]

Definitely where the series The Last of Us came from

[@markpedroza7294]

This would make a great movie title..

[@Ezinma88]

I remember there was an X-Files episode about a Cordyceps strain that DID infect humans. Almost took out Scully.

[@dougmphilly]

damn i need to find that.

[@S-T-E-V-E]

Do we know which lineage of Fungi the Cordyceps came from? Before they started using insects as hosts?

[@totesbotes4660]

Remember when these doco were actually about animals 3/4 of this was just this women talking about herself.

[@cordeliatic09]

nothing's good or bad, it's all about how humans see it

[@festivebear9946]

Indeed. We see cordyceps as a balancing force in nature that regulates insect populations... Until it infects humans, then it's the enemy

[@musakh_]

The Last of Us irl

[@KozmykJ]

"LOL. I was in there with a" Yet..." then so did Lizzie 👍

[@Jaylou88]

With rising temperatures every year, it’s only a matter of time until cordyceps can survive in hotter temperatures and ultimately take over humans 🧟‍♀️

[@ShaneC2788]

Scary stuff

[@orghem1]

Excelente video, muchas cosas que no sabía sobre este hongo...

[@crcoghill]

Fungi and Squids will out live us all.

[@mario14th]

All I needed to see to convince me that that the people are still trapped inside in the last of us. At least for the runner phase

[@veroniqueboulvard6315]

Beautiful start for my Sunday... The lovely news of a new pandemic weapon... 🥴

[@mugisamartin5216]

Hope the fungus doesnt mutate to attack humans😢

[@juilkeyaru405]

I'm just glad I'm not a bug

[@saltedcuts]

...the moment we start injecting human valuations to judge and provide reasons for why events occur...

[@connorrigdon9710]

I really hope there is no mutation nor Biological Terrorism which would make "The Last Of Us" a reality. Yikes!

[@gayathrimenon3668]

But there is a possibility of the evolution of the cordyceps fungus happening in a next few decades, right?

[@corvid1221]

It's highly, highly unlikely. Evolution happens on a scale of millions of years, and jumping from invertebrates to humans is a massive leap that would in all likelihood be impossible. Of course nothing is actually impossible, especially with how fucked we're making the planet, but there really isn't a need to worry about this one :)

[@DarkKnight-db1dy]

Nope

[@user-dd6ng1wn1b]

Start to learn at 3:29.

[@nikhileshsatani]

Yet .....

[@Razuberyl]

"It doesn't infect humans"... Well, not for now...

[@charleswildmore9188]

yet.cuz they working on it

[@NUNYABEEZ]

No way in HELL the military hasn’t been testing these compounds were screwed

[@ashoksarkar4820]

Speed. Of life. Light. Human. Brain

[@anthonycarmody5253]

Spooky

[@OceanSwimmer]

......"Yet." Gain of Function Research will take care of that, and probably soon.

[@blitzzkrieg1400]

I hope this fungus will not evolve to infect humans

[@chloeuntrau4588]

Still a good medicine....

[@VladRnNerd]

Вот и мультиплеер ласт оф асс показали, но пока только насекомых

[@ZennExile]

uhhh akshuLey, they found primates in the congo covered in fungus attached to trees at a uniform elevation that doesn't make sense. Oh and humans are prone to all kinds of fungal infections, it's only a matter of time. We also evolved directly from fungi, so I mean, we technically just a giant machine fungi built to explore the universe. If you think about it. Shouldn't they get to use us to explore the universe? Got a good reason why? I don't.

[@bincockwell2610]

So half the video is a person talking and B footage?

[@MrPimpVick]

Yet ☠️ I love Fungi

[@daniella3813]

❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@shellbacksclub]

Mushrooms are awesome!

[@mojo_joju]

What if cordyceps was weaponised and widespread like Covid?

[@Lon-k6v]

When I was a yung man. I told my teacher, I think a brain is a mushroom. My grandpa eat brains scurel what ever happened to be on hand. They remind me of mushrooms. And what do anyone think about we're brain's came from. Fungus have been around for awhile. I don't know but I think it's started with a fungus and a bacteria, started to path to intelligent beings.

[@canadajointops]

Wow

[@psychochiken4111]

It's only a matter of time...

[@totallykoolyeah]

Shes already over those sqirrels?

[@manishmandal-78]

Jump to @3:20

[@mastaofthemetavrse976]

Honest to god I knew all this but watched for the view ok 😉🤓

[@Vvalarir]

Im glad we humans are warm bodies, fungus dont like our body temperature. Hopefully fungus dont evolve into something human nightmare.😱

[@nrjsingh94]

So The Last of Us.

[@j.g.7141]

冬虫夏草啊😂少见多怪

[@ashoksarkar4820]

No comments. Thank you r. Time

[@daily_dose_of_flying]

The only thing stopping the fungus to attack humans is the human temperature. That barier can be brocken with RNA evolution

[@worldwolf9909]

Ok Dr Fauci

[@alipetuniashow]

That’s not how it works

[@MeixnerQuest]

Next pandemic

[@YAH-1]

Plandemic 😮

[@ryantogo8359]

*Last pandemic

[@travisbloomfield303]

Yet...

[@SamiSami-no4lv]

macabre...

[@annoying_lovable_jm]

Hey, what is on your head....?😮

[@LF-A]

Yet!

[@anti-Russia-sigma]

Maybe those suffering from alien hand syndrome have been affected.If so,it doesn’t scare me because we will know the cause.

[@ไตตั้นคนรักปลา]

Ant keeper like me hate this fungi because one time its destroy my carpenter ants colony