by Duncan McIntire

Cordyceps is quite possibly the most nefarious and terrifying genus of fungi. It is classified as an endoparasite, meaning that unlike its tranquil cousin the mushroom, it feeds directly on live prey (usually insects or arthropods) instead of digesting our waste. Cordyceps invades a host with its tube-like mycelium and creates a network of intertwining hyphae throughout the host’s body, concentrating in the brain. Once the fungus has siphoned enough nutrients from the host, it erupts through the host’s head or thorax with its elongated ascocarp. And if that description isn’t enough to give you nightmares I should probably mention that while the fungus infests its prey, it literally uses brute force to take control of the host’s brain. Continue Reading