True Facts: Fungi That Control The Insects They Eat

Go to brilliant.org/zefrank to get a 30-day free trial + the first 200 people will get 20% off their annual subscription.
merch: ze-true-store.myshopify.com/
patreon: / truefacts
classical music: / 5-audio-track-1
sponsor music: incompetech.com/
Thanks to:
Dr Carolyn Elya, Harvard Univ.
Dr Charissa de Bekker, Utrecht Univ.
Dr Maridel Fredericksen, Univ. of Basel
Dr David Hughes, Pennsylvania State Univ.
Dr John Cooley, Univ. of Connecticut
Dr João Araújo, New York Botanical Garden
Dr Michael Winding, Univ. of Cambridge
Dr Henrik H. De Fine Licht, Univ. of Copenhagen
Dr. Michael J. Raupp, Bug of the Week on KZbin: / @bugoftheweek
Dan Keck, • Cicada with Massospora...
Dr DeWei Li
Citations
Araújo JPM et al. Zombie-ant fungi cross continents: II. Myrmecophilous hymenostilboid species and a novel zombie lineage. Mycologia. 2020 Nov-Dec;112(6):1138-1170. doi: 10.1080/00275514.2020.1822093.
Araújo JPM et al. Zombie-ant fungi across continents: 15 new species and new combinations within Ophiocordyceps. I. Myrmecophilous hirsutelloid species. Stud Mycol. 2018 Jun;90:119-160. doi: 10.1016/j.simyco.2017.12.002.
Beckerson, WC. et al. 28 Minutes Later: A behavioural and transcriptomic investigation into the potential role of aflatrem-like compounds in establishing Ophiocordyceps extended phenotypes in zombie ants, bioRxiv - Animal Behavior and Cognition 2023-02-17 , DOI:10.1101/2022.09.08.507134
Cooley, J.R. et al, A specialized fungal parasite (Massospora cicadina) hijacks the sexual signals of periodical cicadas (Hemiptera: Cicadidae: Magicicada). Sci Rep 8, 1432 (2018). doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-19...
de Bekker C et al, 2021. Mechanisms behind the madness: how do zombie-making fungal entomopathogens affect host behavior to increase transmission? mBio 12:e01872-21, doi.org/10.1128/
De Fine Licht, HH et al. Evolutionary ecology of an obligate and behaviorally manipulating insect- pathogenic fungus, Entomophthora muscae. Authorea. March 02, 2023.
DOI: 10.22541/au.167778641.14505987/v1
de Ruiter J et al.. Fungal artillery of zombie flies: infectious spore dispersal using a soft water cannon. J R Soc Interface. 2019 Oct 31;16(159):20190448. doi: 10.1098/rsif.2019.0448.
Elya C et al. Robust manipulation of the behavior of Drosophila melanogaster by a fungal pathogen in the laboratory. Elife. 2018 Jul 26;7:e34414. doi: 10.7554/eLife.34414.
Fredericksen M.A et al. Three-dimensional visualization and a deep-learning model reveal complex fungal parasite networks in behaviorally manipulated ants, PNAS, November 7, 2017, 114 (47) 12590-12595, doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1711673114
Hou Z, et al. Sexual pair-formation in a cicada mediated by acoustic behaviour of females and positive phonotaxis of males. Sci Rep. 2017 Jul 25;7(1):6453. doi: 10.1038/s41598-017-06825-5.
Hu, T. et al, AntVis: A web-based visual analytics tool for exploring ant movement data, Visual Informatics, Volume 4, Issue 1, 2020, Pages 58-70, ISSN 2468-502X, doi.org/10.1016/j.visinf.2020....
Hughes DP et al. Behavioral mechanisms and morphological symptoms of zombie ants dying from fungal infection. BMC Ecol. 2011 May 9;11:13. doi: 10.1186/1472-6785-11-13.
Hughes DP, Libersat F. Neuroparasitology of Parasite-Insect Associations. Annu Rev Entomol. 2018 Jan 7;63:471-487. doi: 10.1146/annurev-ento-020117-043234.
Libersat F et al (2018) Mind Control: How Parasites Manipulate Cognitive Functions in Their Insect Hosts. Front. Psychol. 9:572. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2018.00572
Loreto RG et al. Evidence for convergent evolution of host parasitic manipulation in response to environmental conditions. Evolution. 2018 Oct;72(10):2144-2155. doi: 10.1111/evo.13489.
Macias, Angie et al. (2020). Evolutionary relationships among Massospora spp. (Entomophthorales), obligate pathogens of cicadas. Mycologia. 112. 1-15. 10.1080/00275514.2020.1742033.
Mangold CA, Hughes DP. Insect Behavioral Change and the Potential Contributions of Neuroinflammation-A Call for Future Research. Genes (Basel). 2021 Mar 24;12(4):465. doi: 10.3390/genes12040465.
Mangold CA, et al. Zombie ant death grip due to hypercontracted mandibular muscles. J Exp Biol. 2019 Jul 17;222(Pt 14):jeb200683. doi: 10.1242/jeb.200683.
Naundrup A et al, Pathogenic fungus uses volatiles to entice male flies into fatal matings with infected female cadavers. ISME J. 2022 Oct;16(10):2388-2397. doi: 10.1038/s41396-022-01284-x.
Scheffer, Louis Ket et al (2020) A connectome and analysis of the adult Drosophila central brain eLife 9:e57443, doi.org/10.7554/eLife.57443
Trinh, T et al, Getting lost: the fungal hijacking of ant foraging behaviour in space and time, Animal Behaviour, Volume 181, 2021, Pages 165-184, ISSN 0003-3472, doi.org/10.1016/j.anbehav.202....

[@zefrank]

Go to brilliant.org/zefrank to get a 30-day free trial + the first 200 people will get 20% off their annual subscription.

[@madlad1868]

Ily

[@Djuncle]

You're brolliant.

[@tristanstephens9661]

notice us, ur loyal viewers. WITNESS ME

[@ZOMBiFOX13]

Fungus is terrifying sometimes ngl

[@denifnaf5874]

Can't wait for the barnacle video

[@sethfeldpausch4337]

Every fungus video, no matter how humorous, is so freaking disturbing. Fungi are so interesting and terrifying at the same time!

[@Shalott99]

Ikr zefrank’s humor is great as always but (butt) this one was kinda hard to watch

[@overhauledunderpaid6469]

They're too smart yet too apathetic to other intelligent life.

[@seansmith6255]

Fun fact They're the closest kingdom to animalia

[@lorimac0260]

@@Shalott99 I was eating breakfast. WAS. 😂

[@Asubatsu]

And just think, scientists are messing with and altering fungi like they did with covid.

[@purplehaze2358]

Friendly reminder that cordyceps not interacting with the brains of their hosts means that they're effectively prisoners in bodies they can no longer control; experiencing everything the parasite is doing to them but unable to resist its influence.

[@EnderGoku9001]

Imagine if purple haze's ability was really releasing fungus 💀

[@williamlowry8809]

Friendly reminder that this is wrong. If you're referring to that "Real Science" video check out the study they cite, it says the exact opposite. The hyphae do invade the muscles but do not control them. The host's brain is simply controlled via the secretion of secondary metabolites.

[@flogusgladly5370]

🥵🥵🥵

[@willthefin]

kinda hot ngl

[@xitaris5981]

@@willthefin Wtf...

[@kpny8484]

It will never get old hearing you say the word "babies".

[@rezandrarizkyirianto-1933]

BEBBEES

[@nevermind-sc2vm]

Bebehs

[@Marewig]

My mind never transcribes the words as babies. It's always 'bébés'.

[@leviroch]

​@@Marewighis merchandise has finally proven it's spelt: 'behbehs' lol (had to buy the poster, my house mate was starting to one up me on ridiculous posters and I knew exactly how to win THAT shit :D)

[@Marewig]

@@leviroch 🤣🤣 that's..... That's hilariously appropriate, for some reason. I'll definitely take that rather than 'babies'

[@myriamickx7969]

Only a few weeks ago, I read in the NYT the interview of a renowned scientist or biologist, I didn’t know his name. He was asked: "What keeps you awake at night?” and replied: "Fungi.” Now I understand why.

[@Zaxares]

One additional interesting fact that ZeFrank didn't mention in this video is that the carpenter ants can actually tell if one of their own is infected. If a worker finds an infected ant, it will grab the infected ant and carry it out of the hive as far away as possible before abandoning the doomed ant to its fate. (The worker that does this is still safe because the cordyceps fungus is not yet in its fruiting stage, so the infectious spores have not emerged yet.) Despite these precautions though, wind can still carry the spores back and infect more ants.

[@Shrooblord]

Amazing. I love ants. Thanks for the quick fact!

[@Styrophoamicus]

I see you've watched Planet Earth too!

[@heathertaylor8904]

Not all of them though! Some varieties compel the ant to leave the nest in order to find a suitable plant to summit and fruit on.

[@IllnessXBL]

No. The ones that carry it out commit suicide. That’s the coolest part about it.

[@itsagundam79]

Pretty much how humans would react if you told them you were bitten by a zombie. The movies got it right!

[@purplehaze2358]

I'd like to point out that fungi technically fulfill every requirement in order to be real-life Lovecraftian abominations.

[@bobzillathebabykicker2981]

Tomato, Tomahtoe Cthulu, Calamari Fungi, Idk it's alrdy food.

[@DustyHoney]

Lovecraft had to get inspiration from somewhere.

[@thebeardedatheist]

Oh I get it, cuz they are both racist.

[@LokiKeanu]

so does the sun

[@samsonsoturian6013]

There was a Mythos tale called The Derelict that capitalized on that.

[@NinjaRufio]

11:49 “The Last A$$ of Us” as pitched by ZeFrank would be an excellent zombie fungus B-movie 😂

[@asdisskagen6487]

I don't think I've ever laughed so hard while being completely horrified... Only you, Ze Frank, only you...

[@ClanImprobable]

Very _very_ the same!

[@autumnmentink4581]

The students at West Virginia University who worked on the cicada fungus referred to the infected cicadas as "saltshakers of death," which is a level of description I now expect from our best and brightest minds.

[@troubledcourier8795]

As a wv, yeah sounds bout right for us.

[@KatiTheButcher]

I want to try eating those salt shakers of death.

[@iamjustkiwi]

​@@KatiTheButcher at least those cicadas go out absolutely tripping balls

[@sheriffbutterball7824]

better than zombie fungus ass flakes

[@KatiTheButcher]

@@iamjustkiwi yes thats why I want to eat them lol. I wonder though, do cicadas trip balls on psilocybin? Be my luck I would have to eat 50 pounds to take effect.

[@Holidaemon2516]

"Zombies are just gonna be people all hopped up on mushrooms and cocaine trying to get people to hump a powder ball that ate their junk." What a magnificent sentence. We need a movie immediately.

[@LiveErrors]

Shaun of the dead but hyper?

[@metalmamasue3680]

You shouldn't call it a Fly anymore but a Walk 🤣🤣

[@michaelmaxim7207]

The way society is now, I'd say we're not to far away

[@brianrose85]

"Last Ass of Us"

[@MichMane]

The movie exists and is called The Girl with All The Gifts. Based on the book of the same name.

[@pmarreck]

You took a truly horrifying corner of nature and made humor out of it. That is quite a gift you have there, ZeFrank!

[@BlackGryph0n]

3:25 "They don't know who makes it, either the fly or the fungs" Crazy!! Is there a way to tell if the adhesive the fly secretes has the same chemical composition as the stuff that makes the spores sticky? Cause that might help answer the question... Also, this is truly horrifying.

[@TheLocalMothLord0.0]

What are you doing on this side of KZbin, Gryph0n?? 😂

[@randomcrapstudios8398]

Hi gabe

[@jynxed66six54]

the problem is this. even if you can prove the spores dont produce it themselves, its impossible to know if the spores are making the fly do it themselves. in which case, it would still be the spores doing it.

[@gagemal5]

It might but In the science world that is still an educated guess even if I’d had the same chemical makeup. Just because it matches the chemical profile doesn’t mean the fly didn’t make it because the fungus could just override the flys organs and use them to produce the adhesive according to the fungus’ blueprints which would mimic the chemical makeup of the fungus adhesive. Furthermore if they matched it would be like ok maybe the fungus is making it not entirely sure though. And if they didn’t match it wouldn’t mean anything at all. Because the fungus could simply use a new compound for sticking a fly to a leaf one that is wholly different from the spore sticking compound. Great thought, but this is just a complicated question you’re definitely on the right track though!!!

[@MoonShadowWolfe]

"There's sticky shit oozing out of you to lock you in place for the fungus's needs, but we don't know if the fungus is making your body make that, or if it's spread through you so far that it is more fungus oozing back out of you."

[@littlespacesuit]

Weirdly enough, even the reliably impeccable humor and wit of the voiceover cannot possibly dull the stomach-twisting horror of this particular topic. These visuals are truly the stuff of nightmares.

[@dsbmitchell]

I had a harder time watching this (I only watched like 1/4 of it) than watching 99% of the horror films I’ve seen in my life. Skin-tinglingly disturbing

[@0Luxis0]

holy shit that was well phrased

[@FunZies.]

I chose to eat breakfast while watching this. WHY?! WHY DID I DO THIS?

[@thomasyates3078]

@@dsbmitchell Realy, watch it. It only gets more horrific, but it's Ze Frank's greatest work. He manages to Uno reverse his ongoing but/butt pun, then in the credits imagines what it would be like the cicada one infected humans, and I actually started crying.

[@Mightylcanis]

Honestly, the only part that bothered me was the clips of cicadas, because I hate cicadas. I was rooting for the fungus the entire time.

[@weaselwolf]

The horrifying thing about the way cordyceps takes direct control is that since it's not infecting the brain, the victim is essentially conscious the whole time until the final stage, but helpless to stop itself.

[@alalessia]

I thought so too, not sure about how much self awareness to expect from ants but knowing you're now biting down on a leaf and quite literally unable to let go until death releases you sounds terrifying

[@gordonbman2911]

I think this is humanization of ants, they don't really think about the meaning of Life and their place in the world, and don't have a brain like mammals :D Though i understand and agree with you it is really unsetteling

[@LiterallyCensoredDaily]

Pharmaceuticals are often fugus based, and we've all seen or heard about drug addicts acting like demonically possessed zombies at times. Just saying.

[@Kirmeins]

@@gordonbman2911 how do you know that though? I think they do have a primal drive to survive and do their thing. If they're latched onto something and cannot let go I'd think they'd be at least disturbed by not being able to do what they normally do because their brain is still fine for a bit and tells them to go do ant things.

[@martinitland]

@@KirmeinsThis is going to sound very silly, but the only way my brain wants to relate what you wrote to a scenario I could recognize is when you play some video game and gets stuck in a bugged (pun not intended) side quest which eventually makes you rage quit and (possibly) start over from scratch - abandoning the first character in the process.

[@jubileus4597]

I hate looking at bugs. Every time I see a close-up photo of a bug, I get into a cold sweat and start feeling jumpy. However, Zefrank’s videos are just so interesting and entertaining that I, somehow, manage to overcome looking at the bugs. Edit: I still kind of hated the whole experience though.

[@roberine7241]

I am happy I am not the only one. these videos are an interesting combination of fucked up and funny that make me watch them and hate every second of it. I hope these fungi never evolve to infect humans.

[@hansgouws6590]

I studied biochemistry and human biology. Took microbiology as an extra subject. I love science, I love nature, I love biology. I am also accustomed to a fair amount of gore having seen more than most in real life and in media. That said, Ophiocordyceps can fuck right off. Fascinating but remorselessly macabre, horrific, and disturbing beyond description. Great video Ze Frank, and thanks. I didn't want to sleep tonight anyway.

[@RustBot42]

Nature is beautiful, isn't it? Absolutely horrifying and merciless, but still beautiful at the same time.

[@Javydrawings]

I don't think I'll ever get tired of the "butt" and "but" mixup gag, gets me every time

[@HunterBloodHunterBlood]

The best one was when he mixed it up by saying, “The Male Spider leaves the safety of his burrow in search of a female BUTT.”

[@Shrooblord]

Whenever I talk about a ZeFrank video, I always mention this as one of my favourite bits. And I didn't even see it coming this time even though it was the _perfect_ moment for it. Love these scripts

[@DanGamingFan2846]

Insects have it hard enough. The idea of being mind controlled by a fungus is genuinely terrifying. It's even more amazing that the fungi can do so without a brain themselves.

[@aloysiusdevanderabercrombi470]

Perhaps you should read about numerous parasites affecting mammalians.

[@daniellewilson8527]

@@aloysiusdevanderabercrombi470 oh yes, toxoplasma Gondi is an example

[@donnyaxe78]

You make fungi sound like fox news.

[@Rhaifha]

Some viruses do it too! There's some caterpillar viruses that turn the caterpillars into goo, but before they finish the job, they send the caterpillar to a nice and visible spot to be eaten by a bird. Whose poop then spreads the spores.

[@rowanbrown5541]

Remember cordyceps doesn't mind control, it muscle controls. THE INSECT IS STILL CONSCIOUS

[@YeOldeBelmont]

I love the True Facts series, but I also miss the oddly calming existential conversations you used to have with us.

[@AsymptoteInverse]

As someone with a morbid curiosity about parasitic organisms, I didn't expect this video to unsettle me. But it did. And on top of that, it was all new information for me. Which is why I love this channel.

[@joebobjon1127]

Based on the first one with the flies, imagine a zombie movie where the zombies don’t really bite that much, but spread their disease by finding or attracting a group of people and then their back just explodes with blood and spores everywhere

[@PhotonBeast]

Would make for a different kind of zombie movie since the people would probably need to kill them in particular ways/avoid killing them in certain ways while also having some protection.

[@pldcanfly]

But then there are those zombies that just call out to attract more humans. Like crying for help and stuff O.O

[@Robofrog100]

Thanks satan

[@NeoDarkEther]

@@pldcanfly it's just like in the game "Left 4 Dead", where you have the crying zombies and the exploding ones.

[@xitaris5981]

So wear a hazmat suit and you're good to go walking amongst the zombies?

[@andresg.g5594]

As a "hippie scientist" myself I can't just emphasize enough the huge research labour that Ze (et al.) does... there are more references in these videos than in half of the papers I've read last month. And they are truly a masterpiece of science communication, plus one of the most funny videos you can watch in YT. There should be a new join-category (Nobel-Oscar) for this guy (et al.). Magnificent!

[@quintessenceSL]

I'm certain the Ig Nobels would be receptive.

[@mistahp6181]

Who is et al? He is really good at science

[@nobatime]

Agreed! Some subjects I never thought I’d be interested in, I’m now fascinated by. Just looking at the credits at the end of these videos really point out how much goes into them. Thank you Science Hippies!

[@alexandercandicedad1355]

The term is "science hippie", science hippie!

[@d1egomon194]

@@mistahp6181 my cousin, a great lad

[@akajulester]

oh my God fungi are so fascinating yet so horrific and terrifying, I genuinely think this might be the most disturbed and uncomfortable I've ever been in my life

[@kwequay5605]

A Crocodile in sole captivity has just recently been documented to have bred on its own. Would love to see a true facts on Parthenogenesis!

[@dyslexicboogaloo]

I’ve heard that word.

[@Theknowledgethetruth]

Let me guess,. Australia?

[@joegamergaming]

Between this and the Mammoth meatball our world is becoming Jurassic park waiting to happen

[@twistedtachyon5877]

​@@joegamergaminghopefully we'll actually listen to the insurance engineers in the real deal, I guess.

[@stevenclark1662]

"Somebody f#%*ed this crocodile! Who did it?! Jenkins! Lookin' at you."

[@tfgrrl2042]

"And now not only are you infected, but you're going to have some explaining to do when you go into work tomorrow." Yup folks, this is how the world will end. Long live FUNGI!!

[@Bluecho4]

I, for one, welcome our new fungal overlords.

[@amberkat8147]

@@Bluecho4 I, on the other hand, absolutely will not!

[@tfgrrl2042]

@@Bluecho4 resistant fungal infections are on the rise, so you might not have as long to wait to welcome them as you think

[@misanthropicservitorofmars2116]

@@tfgrrl2042resistant everything is on the rise. All diseases. Because people take vaccines and live in pods instead of existing amongst nature. Microbes evolve on a faster level than macro organisms do. Do the math. The small things will figure out how to succeed before we do. Best course of action is learning to live with them by existing in a more natural environment. Avoid cities. Don’t clean out your small cuts. Let your body handle the bacteria. This isn’t a thousand years ago. You can test your immense system. Let it get infected by sushi and unsanitized cuts and not religiously washing your hands (wash your hands just don’t get OCD about it). Our bodies will require millennia to evolve to fit our environment. Microbes need mere decades for the same generational evolutions to arise.

[@nekobyoneko444]

One of my favorite parts of these videos is learning why certain things wind up the way they do. Seen many cicadas missing their rear but never really knew why. This clears that up.

[@thegingerpirate]

You've definitely breathed in a load of these sporse then. If you find yourself becoming attracted to corpses, consult a doctor.

[@rafaelarevalo8047]

their rear butt? oh, sorry.

[@thesonofdormammu5475]

I always thought it was a bird or something.

[@Hermititis]

Now I'm wondering about the moths & butterflies I've seen that have been missing an abdomen but still seemed very lively.

[@Social_Pugatory]

@@Hermititis To make them more catchable by birds and reptiles and continue the parasitic life cycle.

[@mini3mayhem]

I need a pin that just says “Jerry, it’s a flagellum.”

[@d33j4y84k]

I burst into tears at "you got some explainin to do" - great stuff! As always

[@germanafonin251]

I almost pissed myself

[@Cosmic-Sorceress-17]

I always wondered why some Cicada bodies I've seen were missing their abdomens, but were otherwise undamaged. Figured it was a particularly picky predator at first, but as it is said: truth is sometimes stranger than fiction. And even more disturbing.

[@Nightfire613]

I mean, I guess you could think of it like a picky preditor. If a plant can be a predator, why not a fungus?

[@Cosmic-Sorceress-17]

@@Nightfire613 Very true! I don't often associate fungi with predation the same way I would a Venus Flytrap, but it kind of is how some of these parasitic fungi work.

[@Dogman_35]

@@Nightfire613 Googled it, and apparently parasitism doesn't actually count as predation. Even if it eventually kills the host.

[@jasond.5723]

@@Dogman_35 Hm. How exclusive we predators are

[@monk9948]

Fungi is homophobic probably

[@_guillermo]

"from here on in don't call it a fly, call it a walk"... some of your finest work ze, thank you

[@metalmamasue3680]

I laugh through all of his videos. If you haven't seen the Leaf Hopper or tree hopper one, that's a gem too and the Killer Surfing Snails. We science hippies love them 😃

[@datwongai3903]

@@metalmamasue3680 And a lot of us science hippies love the metal, too! 🤘

[@ericjohnson6120]

"Killme."

[@hi_tech_reptiles]

"The Last-Ass of Us" was gold. Just gold.

[@bunkymunky]

Thank you for confirming the Fungi/Fun Guy joke is actually facts.

[@DustyHoney]

People usually say these fungi ONLY effect ants. I’m glad you’ve cleared that up. This is the best zombie fungi KZbin video.

[@Ass_of_Amalek]

they infect lots of insects. dunno if other invertegrates, too. the most well-known one actually is cordyceps sinensis, which infects caterpillars and is a very highly valued chinese quack medicine.

[@aazhie]

Thay would be like saying there's only one fugus that bothers humans. There are so many millions of species of bugs and fungi, there is probably multiple fungi per bug species and they all do different things.

[@TheMogd0r]

​@@Ass_of_Amalek there are peer reviewed research articles proving sinensis has a greater impact on improving athletic performance than any other substance that isn't banned. Quack medicine, indeed

[@hamster_in_a_wheel_8099]

@@TheMogd0r Well then. Prove it. Give is the links.

[@christopherjones8448]

@@hamster_in_a_wheel_8099 You can't post links on youtube anymore, daddy google will shadow ban your reply

[@andreibaciu7518]

On the bug dating scene "He's a real fun guy. He'll grow on you" has more than one meaning

[@bazzfromthebackground3696]

Hearing him monologue to himself and laugh at the end is a treat.

[@lainey751]

It's so fascinating how smart fungus is without a brain, or how it even alive. I absolutely love your channel! I can't get enough, especially that you make it fun rather than scary.

[@SwordTune]

The fruit fly section gave me flashbacks to my work in a drosophila neurobio lab. Good times. So many flies. Once I had to count, by hand, how many times they had sex in an hour. Stay in school kids and one day you might be able to count the number of mating attempts for the sake of underatanding the underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms of neurons.

[@xitaris5981]

So how many?

[@poppedweasel]

@@xitaris5981 More than you.

[@eljanrimsa5843]

What do you mean with "by hand"? Did you use your fingers for counting?

[@A_T216]

@eljanrimsa5843 it just means that a human counted instead of a computer

[@hehehorf782]

Ah yeah i worked with drosophila as well! Not for super long unfortunately (thanks mental illness) but yeah I had to sort females and males. I was just learning to identify virgin flies before I had to leave. Lots of paintbrushes and microscope squinting.

[@osamashatat]

how is this not on Netflix and Hulu? True Facts is better than 90% of what's on any streaming platform.

[@dystopianape]

Because it's quality content

[@dystopianape]

@@srj607able LMAO

[@K9River]

When they make a black, tranny version of the fly, they will.

[@user-ls2en2mb4c]

​@@srj607able thanks for the good laugh man

[@danielwordsworth1843]

Keep it as far from both as possible

[@soyalguienqueestamuyaburri8396]

1:53 "yet" is so terrifying and funny at the same time lol

[@nullapex777]

I've fought black mold for about a decade. Finally purging it out after years of searching for an answer. It definitely alters behavior and causes some /gnarly/ symptoms.

[@thelonewrangler1008]

I've grown mushrooms for years and the more you learn about all fungus the more questions you end up with. It's one of the most fascinating organisms in the world and definitely will make you question what you definitely intelligence as. One thing Zefrank forgot add about the cordyceps is that it seems to know how to keep a healthy population of its hosts around. If the population gets too small it will go dormant if the population gets too big it will significantly increase the amount hosts it will infect

[@m____w____6981]

A mushroom shows up at a party uninvited. The host says "We dont allow magic mushrooms in here" The mushroom replies, "Aw, come on, I'm such a fun guy".

[@LiterallyCensoredDaily]

@@m____w____6981 *mushrooms friend: "Aw, come on! We only hung out with that shaman ONE time! We aren't even magic!"

[@martinitland]

@@m____w____6981Took me a few moments😅 Well played, Sir or Madam. Well played👏🏼👏🏼

[@letsomethingshine]

likely chemical/pheromone signals released into the air for quorum and "host number" sensing.

[@DangerB0ne]

​@@m____w____6981 I hate this joke. It's got me green around the gills that someone made such a rancid dad joke. Keep it up.

[@omoidashu]

2 of my favorite things combined finally! I mentioned this process to my dad once last year and he didn't believe me, but looked it up. My mom was so mad because my dad was working 'zombie ant fungus' into any conversation he could because it was the wildest thing to him.

[@GronTheMighty]

Getting a grown man to embody the enthusiasm of a child is how science wins

[@spiritmatter1553]

Your dad sounds like so much fun!

[@Voxen712]

you have one gem of a dad

[@LiterallyCensoredDaily]

Your dad was right. This is pretty wild.

[@joshuacaulfield]

I know what you’re thinking, “What’s so bad about that.” Kills me every time I watch it.

[@lancebukkake]

"you got some explaining to do when you go to work tomorrow" comedy gold

[@SolstaceWinters]

As disturbing as these fungi are, as horrific as the processes they use to do their own survival are, I'd pay money to see a zombie movie as you described at the ending card there, Ze Frank. That'd be magical. "What are you doing up there?" ( _muffled_ ) "M'unno."

[@darkdragoness5]

I read a manga about assassins that mimic certain skills and abilities off certain arthropods, that kinda had an ending where there was a horny zombie apocalypse, except instead of basing it off fungal infection, they based it off the army ants death spiral (assassin was able to control anyone who she (or someone infected) French kissed, and when she died, those infected spread out infecting other people until they died)

[@SolstaceWinters]

@@darkdragoness5 That sounds both stupid and hilarious. Depending on the age-rating of said series, I wouldn't be adverse to the name being presented here. (There are potentially younger viewers after all, and the original comment has gained some traction. I wouldn't wanna be held liable for the corruption of the youth. :P )

[@darkdragoness5]

@@SolstaceWinters it sounds stupid partly because I made it more age appropriate (it's very mature), to avoid the fact that it is a lot more triggering with the whole horde of mindless extremely horny zombies

[@SolstaceWinters]

@@darkdragoness5 Fair. If that's the case, probably not a good idea to post it here. The curiosity will eat me, but I'll survive. I don't watch or read as much as I used to.

[@_FiDeLCAsTrO_]

That is called The Last of Us and is a series. It's based on cordyceps. They're not horny tho

[@AnthologyOfDave]

As cute as you try to make them, I'm still horrified and, on a very primitive level, terrified of these things.

[@White_Wrath]

Humans don't need to worry about fungus

[@cameron6538]

@@White_Wrath immunocomprimised ones do

[@atree6646]

@@White_Wrath Exactly what a human-eating fungus would say!

[@White_Wrath]

@@atree6646 Just eat your mushrooms and chill bro.

[@SeraphimxSins]

@@White_Wrath We don't until we do. Just like with every other bodily assailing things. Like he said, athletes foot is a fungus. If, by some chance, fungus develops in a way that allows them to better invade and survive in our bodies, then we're in deep shit despite how advanced our immune system is.

[@rayanixon93]

The end commentary on this one had me dying! 🤣🤣🤣☠️ "the last ass of us" 😂😂 Nailed it 👏🏻

[@kudnabeefhooked5285]

If the voice isn't fabulous enough the writing is simply top notch. Well done, guys!

[@duckman12569]

"Don't call it a fly, call it a walk" Perfectly delivered, sir

[@Ass_of_Amalek]

there actually are wingless fruitflies bred as pet feeder animals that are commonly referred to as "fruitwalks".

[@ButacuPpucatuB]

The corpse mating… stuff of nightmares! Thank you for the education, giggles, and horrors. 🧡🧡🧡🧡🧡

[@Bayofthe91st]

The last bit are more hilarious for me , it feels like a consecutive punch made by a stand-up comedian

[@ButacuPpucatuB]

@@Bayofthe91st It’s one of the fun ways to die! Not a corpse. Which is a bonus! You’re hallucinating and missing your genitals. Still your demise is a happy one.

[@BubboPants]

"...compounds are secreted that are essentially sexual signals causing other flies to come over and try to have sex with the corpse. I know what you're thinking: What's so bad about that?"

[@ComeWhatMay24]

I died at 4:29 when he said "sporeception, pew!"😂💀😂

[@jordanbtucker]

4:44 "I know what you're thinking: What's so bad about that?" Yes, Ze Frank. That was exactly what I was thinking...

[@Prettyphile]

"Yes it was a nice weekend DAVE, went antiquing, planted some herbs, f*cked a corpse and did some light spring cleaning thank you very much, freaking Dave!"

[@theidioticbgilson1466]

cretinous pfp

[@aazhie]

XD

[@metalmamasue3680]

🤣🤣 That one had me laughing out loud. 🤣🤣

[@andreibaciu7518]

imagine being the guy who saw a rotting corpse and was like "don't mind me if I dooo..."

[@matthewbowen5841]

That's Dave for you. Always bein nosy.

[@Violetlais]

Ahhhh... Dave attaching himself to the flagpole by deep throating the knob on the end after fungus sprinkles fell out of the gaps in his short shorts was probably my favourite of your end of video rants yet 😂😂

[@steven_baconbits]

Jerry never disappoints. Thank you Ze and crew for another great video.

[@robynrogers1209]

I think the last few seconds of this one is fabulous. I was laughing so hard! But seriously, I love your videos and always force friends and family to watch and love them too.

[@DanGamingFan2846]

_Ophiocordyceps_ would be truly terrifying of it ever infected humans. No wonder it's the basis for _The Last of Us._

[@ruthie8785]

damn thanks for letting us know. that it’s the basis for the last of us.

[@watershipup7101]

That's exactly why The Last of Us is so scary. The concept has it's roots in reality.

[@White_Wrath]

I'd say subliminal brainwashing is scarier and actually works on humans.

[@lizm.2064]

​@@watershipup7101 love your name!

[@benschwaller4200]

"The last ass of us" alone deserves an award.

[@user-vo5lc4it9i]

Please keep doing what you do! Ive never been so entertained while learning. And you sitr your sources!! Dude your freakin awsome!

[@It_is_I_Stupid]

That last minute! Just brilliant!

[@dvs7392]

I love Ze’s giggles as he narrates. It brings the joy

[@DianeGraft]

I was hoping you'd include the cicada fungus in this, and you did! A few years back my neighborhood was deluged by the Brood X swarm. And for those few months, it was very common to find those flying salt shakers of death among the noisy horde. I also read an article where scientists working with them, and finding the magic mushroom hallucinogen, had contacted the DEA to be sure they weren't going to be in legal trouble over drug possession. They were assured that it would be OK. (For them, not for the cicadas.)

[@tookitogo]

I experienced Brood X back in 2004, in Maryland. It was quite the sight! (And sound.)

[@DaydreamingArtist322]

That last sentence made me imagine DEA members attempting to arrest the infected cicadas. I doubt that’s what you meant, but I found that mental image amusing.

[@Can0spam]

@@DaydreamingArtist322 I can see the tiny sets of hand cuffs now.

[@Kirmeins]

@@Can0spam wing cuffs you mean

[@angelikaskoroszyn8495]

Now I'm sure some people eat cicadas to get high

[@patricksmith3556]

I always love the way you always say "This video is sponsored by "Brilliant". Learn to think!"

[@jonathanmachado3107]

Thank you brother. Love your show

[@pavarottiaardvark3431]

For those scared of Fungai, don't worry! Lots of other creatures do this to their hosts too! Flukes, tiny snails, worms!

[@banjofangirl3458]

Earn your forgiveness or become the dirt I walk on

[@Chpow01]

Don't forget parasitic wasps.... because f those guys.

[@DJI_Friday]

…well, this sure was a way to learn that the flukes from hollow knight were a real thing. And imagine my surprise when google images shows a 10p next to them for scale! Excuse me whilst I go puke - which, coincidentally, is apparently one of the symptoms for infection!!

[@mbz5152]

“Simply follow nature, Rousseau declares. Sade, laughing grimly, agrees.” - Camille Paglia

[@cam4636]

On the one hand, a perfectly fitting quote. On the other, fuck Paglia and her "women deserve to be raped and I'm the only smart woman" philosophy.

[@spiritmatter1553]

👏🏻 👏🏻 👏🏻

[@somercet1]

She's one of the greats.

[@sexyredtablet6599]

Educational and hysterical. Perfect combination, well done all involved.

[@koederju]

content top notch, jokes better, liked the short voiceover at the end. Fungi always get me exited! Amazing to see them close up!

[@starsilverinfinity]

Don’t think I’d ever seen visuals of the fungi literally encapsulating the cells if the host like this, that’s nuts

[@cre8rzaw]

I studied under Dr. Charissa De Bekker, she is amazing! I'm so glad to see her credited here!

[@bunnieskitties293]

You studied UNDER a woman? But men are superior. GOD MADE US FIRST. We have penises-- at least until the Fungi eat them off of us-- that give us divine right to rule and be KINGS!

[@mbele3000]

Your videos are always amazing thank you but that commentary at the end was absolute gold!

[@RFlash-xc4lo]

Ze Frank is Brilliant! I've been following the channel for years the whole Morgan freeman narration bit evolved into well done informative nature type videos.

[@Sardonac]

Please forgive me but I've got to shill a little bit for the sponsor here, Brilliant. I had a major surgery two years ago that left me really iffy in the head. My doctors recommended that I use my brain, despite my exhaustion, to get me back to feeling sharp. Recalling the ads for Brilliant from this and other KZbin channels, I used the service for almost a year now. It was... brilliant! I built up confidence and exercised my mind in a way that I honestly couldn't have imagined even last year. I also built up my confidence in some STEM subjects which I'd never quite grasped in school. So thanks @Ze Frank for turning my on to Brilliant! Cheers

[@LugborG]

This is by far the most disturbing video you’ve done, and that includes the spider one. Edit: Any alien species that witnessed these fungi would either run screaming or burn us from orbit.

[@M33f3r]

I’m hoping they burn us from orbit before running screaming because I don’t want this stuff making it off earth even if its the end of the rest of us.

[@npcx-mq6cr]

pretty sure it's humans they witnessed and ran screaming

[@elenachristian9860]

​@@npcx-mq6cr Fun fact: Biologically, we have a lot in common with fungi. To the aliens: Basically. Run.

[@npcx-mq6cr]

@@elenachristian9860 uh, yeah that's what I said

[@kevincrady2831]

Why would they run screaming or burn us from orbit when we make such fine hosts for their spores?

[@ryanlovell5043]

If I could subscribe a thousand times I would. Your videos give me solace and joy. I cannot thank you enough.

[@monkeywagon87]

"and now, not only are you infected, you're going to have something you're going to explain at work tomorrow.. "

[@MisterIkkus]

The one that changes the mating call of the cicadas from male to female absolutely blows my mind.

[@JoshBerkowitz]

Ze riffing at the end on humans affected by zombie fungi was pure gold

[@InWitheNew]

I get so excited when new Ze Frank comes out that I legit tell all of my friends who will listen.

[@mmecurie333]

Your voice is just ah-MazXing!!! And of course all the research you report 💚💯 mesmerizingly said 🎉

[@fernschiffer9471]

had a very bad morning complete with panic attack. it really says something about your ability to make people laugh when three stories of bug infection and mutilation made me feel a lot better. never change mr frank, never change

[@dianahowell3423]

Oh, I so identify with this! Rough morning, hard week, and then Ze pops up with hysterical horror. Just what I needed, and I hope your day is better!

[@HeisenbergFam]

3:02 "dont call it a fly, call it a walk! Hm, kill me" impeccable charisma, great banter

[@karateman21874]

I had to pause I was laughing so hard

[@notsae66]

I've officially decided that everything everywhere should be purified in fire. Thank you, for solidifying my belief that nature is evil and only flame is pure.

[@Buzz-tp4fz]

How have I only just found your channel, subbed within 5 minutes. Brilliant ol' chap let the binge begin 👌🏻

[@guylerome]

"having a half body riddled with fungus would be a red flag in dating" - Sir, have you seen dating apps? 😂

[@cameroncastles4301]

I'm recovering from major abdominal surgery and that last line caused one of my stitches to burst. Keep up the good work.

[@PetroBlownapart]

Hope your abdomen doesn't fall off and get replaced with a mass of fungal spores.

[@Lavonne9870]

​@@PetroBlownapart there's a Hallmark card text for ya

[@tigertoxins584]

oof that's real painful, I had an appendectomy and couldn't laugh or cough for 3 weeks without immense pain

[@D-me-dream-smp]

I do apologise, considering your painful plight, but when you said your stitches burst all I could imagine was some weird fungus suddenly sprouting out like “aha this was our plan all along…I toldja paying ZeFrank all that crypto would pay off!!”

[@lnugentgibson4168]

​@@tigertoxins584 I almost died when I sneezed after my appendectomy.

[@philliplamoureux9489]

That was a howl of an ending!! The absolute killer as a voice over in the credits!!!!

[@EnabiSeira]

Recently I've started researching this fungi and I gotta say it's fascinating (also nightmarish, but that's nature). The footage and references are amazing and helpful. Once again, great video ❤

[@Still.No.Name.]

You seriously make some of the most educational, influential, and hilarious content on the internet. Genuinely thank you for making this a more consistent series.

[@jaxsonhammerkawk7436]

You might say he's a funguy... get it? Funguy/fungi... I'm sorry 😞

[@jaxsonhammerkawk7436]

@@Dislike_Count but why is it not worth it to forage for mushrooms? It's too much truffle.

[@jackcoleman5955]

Huge thanks to all the university professors who contributed to this video!!

[@Klm49]

WoooHoooo, Academics!!!

[@charleschidsey6192]

Definitely one of your best Ze. God bless you. You make me laugh harder than anyone.

[@tobypossum7386]

As an amateur mycologist, I love your terms for all the fungi things. I love the fungi/protist videos!!

[@thomasyates3078]

"Dave, what are you doing up there?" "Ui non't nwo" just about ended me. Nice work, Ze Frank!

[@spackerinternational6131]

You forgot an important step. Once a spore first 'hatches' it is a monokaryon. It needs to find another compatible spore that's hatched and bind with to form a dikykaryon. They share genetic information and produce the mycelium that is the new fungi. Then it begins to consume materials. It's the same as humans mating but instead the sperm and egg find each other outside of the body.

[@CL-go2ji]

Wild.

[@BravoCharlie]

That was SO GOOD. Thank you

[@TheScratcherStudios]

Fun fact: every cicada species has a totally distinct call ("song"). So different in fact that it is easy to identify each species. Not only male/female. I like the higurashi cicada song by the way.

[@Charlee1776]

"The Last A*s of Us" I'm so done! 🤣 Thank you for all of these! Another Great one!

[@MrHippiejoe]

This is absolute perfection! You just gained another sub.

[@breakthestrain]

I love zefrank videos so much but this one in particular is incredible.