Their attempts at reproduction, doomed from the start, only fuel the virus’ spread, a group of scientists at Chicago’s Field Museum of Natural History told NPR in a statement.
Is this a fungus or a virus?
this post was submitted on 07 Jun 2024
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It's likely a fungus.
Cordyceps do this to other insects all the time. Hijacking insects and using them to spread their spores is there evolutionary niche.
Edit: I bothered to read the article here's a Wikipedia link to the fungus in the article.
Can’t a fungus spread through direct contact?
Sure, but that quote calls it a "virus" but the headline says "fungus".
Wow, totally missed that. Definitely weird
What I'm hearing is I can get high by eating zombie cicadas.
There's got to be easier ways...
There are but it involves spending lots of time in cow pastures.
Not in some US states there isn't.
Why would that make anyone panic unless they thought by 'horny zombies,' the cicadas were going to rape them and then eat their brains. Which... they're not that big. You can step on them.
Ya, but there's strength in horny numbers.
Ok but what if the fungus also mutated them into human-sized cicadas?
wing rubbing intensifies
"Flying salt shakers of death". Wow, thanks, I didn't need sleep or anything.
Sleep is for the weak anyway.
I won't panic as I'm not a cicada.
This would have made The Last of Us a rather different story.