Bacterial Fungus, Why?

As some of you may know, there is a bacterial fungus that get's inside of the ant, and then takes over it's host. It them climbs a plant stem to a high enough place, makes the ant clamps itself to the plant to not fall, and then the fungus kills the ant. Now, whilst eating away at the ant, it's using those nutrients to expand itself, breaking outside of the insects shell and releasing spores which spread the fungus even more. A better explanation and info can be found here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ophiocordyceps_unilateralis . Now I have one question, why is it doing what it's doing? What is it hoping to accomplish? I can't wrap my head around why it does what it does as it isn't rational. It literally is just trying to spread itself, but for what purpose? It isn't trying to achieve world domination. It's not some advanced species with a thought process and opinions like humans. It has one job with no end and no rational purpose.

Because there is no god and people need to learn2science.

also, u wot m8?

Dreadscythe said:

Because there is no god and people need to learn2science.

also, u wot m8?

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Wot u lookin at m8? I'll fukin dec you in. Sware on me mum.



































































Cunt.

The zombie ant, correct? That's the term I've been associated around while discussing this. From what I can tell, from the information and discussions about this "bacteria", is basically nothing. I know that was a bit of a let down, but in my own beliefs, I believe it's just like a parasite. Use the hosts body for nutrients and live it's live span, and die out. It's an interesting concept really, and I don't really fully grasp it's potential yet.

Bubba said:

The zombie ant, correct? That's the term I've been associated around while discussing this. From what I can tell, from the information and discussions about this "bacteria", is basically nothing. I know that was a bit of a let down, but in my own beliefs, I believe it's just like a parasite. Use the hosts body for nutrients and live it's live span, and die out. It's an interesting concept really, and I don't really fully grasp it's potential yet.

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It will never have any chance for potential. It wastes it's life getting a host and spreading itself so it's descendants can waste their lives getting a host and spreading itself and so on.

Chronos said:

It will never have any chance for potential. It wastes it's life getting a host and spreading itself so it's descendants can waste their lives getting a host and spreading itself and so on.

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It's a phenomenon to say the least, and as you've stated and I agree with. It has no reason, but neither does a lot of the things that happen in life. The matter is still somewhat tormenting to me, what if the bacteria is singled out? What if it could be used upon humans after awhile? There could be an epidemic, a scary one at that. But that's radical and probably won't happen, but just a thought.

Bubba said:

It's a phenomenon to say the least, and as you've stated and I agree with. It has no reason, but neither does a lot of the things that happen in life. The matter is still somewhat tormenting to me, what if the bacteria is singled out? What if it could be used upon humans after awhile? There could be an epidemic, a scary one at that. But that's radical and probably won't happen, but just a thought.

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I actually believe it's the premise of the game "The Last of Us". Not so much that it's being used against humans, but rather evolves at some exponential rate and they're basically turning humans into zombies to spread it further. Really cool premise.

Chronos said:

I actually believe it's the premise of the game "The Last of Us". Not so much that it's being used against humans, but rather evolves at some exponential rate and they're basically turning humans into zombies to spread it further. Really cool premise.

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Once at the exponential rate, it's unstoppable (I know you're aware of this). Now that right there, that is something to fret about. The growth would demolish the population, I just can't even wrap my mind around that. If anything of the sort were to happen to humans, I don't know how well we'd hold up.

Bubba said:

Once at the exponential rate, it's unstoppable (I know you're aware of this). Now that right there, that is something to fret about. The growth would demolish the population, I just can't even wrap my mind around that. If anything of the sort were to happen to humans, I don't know how well we'd hold up.

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Once evolved I don't believe we could stop that epidemic, mainly because the spore is airborn. Everyone would already be infected. However, this fungus kills itself so readily and quickly it have no room to evolve.

Chronos said:

Once evolved I don't believe we could stop that epidemic, mainly because the spore is airborn. Everyone would already be infected. However, this fungus kills itself so readily and quickly it have no room to evolve.

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It kills itself? That bit I didn't hear, oh gosh Chronos now you have me relating this to the walking dead. All would be infected, but we don't know how long the process would take till full take over upon humans.

Bubba said:

It kills itself? That bit I didn't hear, oh gosh Chronos now you have me relating this to the walking dead. All would be infected, but we don't know how long the process would take till full take over upon humans.

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After it's spread, it's basically dead. The bacteria is too small an undeveloped to even pose a threat to humans as it does ants. I dont even think large doses injected into our bloodstreams would infect us. Even if it did, GG on that fungus figuring out how to work our brains.

Chronos said:

After it's spread, it's basically dead. The bacteria is too small an undeveloped to even pose a threat to humans as it does ants. I dont even think large doses injected into our bloodstreams would infect us. Even if it did, GG on that fungus figuring out how to work our brains.

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Okay the end of that made me lol.
But you're completely right, it'd be too difficult for that small of a fungus to figure out our complexes. There's too much for it to learn within it's life span.

Bubba said:

Okay the end of that made me lol.
But you're completely right, it'd be too difficult for that small of a fungus to figure out our complexes. There's too much for it to learn within it's life span.

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The only way to evolve to control humans would be to see our brains, and spread with the knowledge. For one, it would take millions upon millions of years to figure something out, and that's if it even works. Thing is, once inside the human body, it can't spread it's knowledge as it can control and spore us.

Chronos said:

The only way to evolve to control humans would be to see our brains, and spread with the knowledge. For one, it would take millions upon millions of years to figure something out, and that's if it even works. Thing is, once inside the human body, it can't spread it's knowledge as it can control and spore us.

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By then we'd have a vaccine either way to prevent such a thing, there's no way for a parasite to develop such a complex to know our brain. It's impossible..there goes that type of an apocalypse.

Bubba said:

By then we'd have a vaccine either way to prevent such a thing, there's no way for a parasite to develop such a complex to know our brain. It's impossible..there goes that type of an apocalypse.

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With science one might be able to develop a bacteria based off the fungi, but that would take millions of dollars, years of work, and just mainly be a conspiracy.