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99-Million-Year-Old Amber Reveals Ancient Fungus-Ant Manipulation

6/25/2025

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Summary

Story summary

A stunning 99-million-year-old amber fossil has unveiled a chilling scene: a fungus infecting an ant pupa. This remarkable find suggests that Ophiocordyceps fungi have been manipulating insect behavior far longer than we thought, shedding light on the dark and intricate dance of coevolution between these fungi and their insect hosts.

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Story summary

A stunning 99-million-year-old amber fossil has unveiled a chilling scene: a fungus infecting an ant pupa. This remarkable find suggests that Ophiocordyceps fungi have been manipulating insect behavior far longer than we thought, shedding light on the dark and intricate dance of coevolution between these fungi and their insect hosts.