Zombie Ants: The Fungus That Controls Fate On the damp floor of tropical forests, ants go about their routine as usual. Yet some fall victim to a parasitic fungus from the genus *Ophiocordyceps*—an organism capable of drastically altering its host’s behavior. Fungal spores attach to an ant’s body, penetrate its outer layer, and spread internally. The fungus does not “reanimate” the ant, but instead manipulates its nervous system and muscles through chemical compounds. Infected ants abandon their colonies and move toward locations with ideal temperature and humidity for fungal growth. At a certain point, the ant climbs vegetation and bites down firmly on the underside of a leaf in what scientists call a *death grip*. Shortly afterward, the ant dies. From its head, a fungal stalk emerges, releasing new spores into the environment to infect other ants and continue the cycle.