Fungus amongus (or at least among ants)

Here's a recent post from NPR on  'Zombie' Ants And The Fungus That Saves Them",  relevant to John's lecture on crazy fungi.

"In the current edition of the journal PLoS ONE, an international research team led by David Hughes of Penn State University reports that they've found the fungus that allows an ant colony to survive infestations by a "zombie-ant fungus, which invades an ant's brain and causes it to march to its death at a mass grave near the ant colony, where the fungus spores erupt out of the ant's head."

"In a case where biology is stranger than fiction, the parasite of the zombie-ant fungus is itself a fungus — a hyperparasitic fungus that specializes in attacking the parasite that turns the ants into zombies," Hughes said."

In Science Daily, too.  The article will be published shortly in Plos One, but in the meantime here is a link to David Hughes website to learn more about what he is researching.

Fungi Video

Here's a video I thought was really cool on a group of mycologists.

http://vimeo.com/36422624

"Most people know Kew Gardens as home of the world's largest living plant collection but are not aware that it is also the location of an internationally important botanical research and educational institution. Going beyond the gardens as we know them, Lonelyleap produced two films for 2012's Tropical Extravaganza Festival which showcase the behind the scenes work of Kew's scientists whilst also exploring two of the festival's themes, Earth and Air.

The first in the series explores the importance of fungi to all plants and ultimately all life on Earth through several members of the Mycology Department committed to the conservation and exploration of fungi."