Some specialized fungi can hijack the behavior of ants, wasps, and spiders in order to spread their spores. Learn about the real-life Cordyceps and Ophiocordyceps fungi that inspired 'The Last of Us' in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://science.howstuffworks.com/life/cellular-microscopic/zombie-ant-fungus.htm

Some specialized fungi can hijack the behavior of ants, wasps, and spiders in order to spread their spores. Learn about the real-life Cordyceps and Ophiocordyceps fungi that inspired 'The Last of Us' in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://science.howstuffworks.com/life/cellular-microscopic/zombie-ant-fungus.htm

Whether the topic is popcorn or particle physics, you can count on BrainStuff to explore -- and explain -- the everyday science in the world around us.

BrainStuff

How Does the 'Zombie Ant' Fungus Work?

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/69fe5818-9d55-4c78-be24-b2bf0176b309/transcript

The idea of General George Custer's deadly military blunder being a heroic last stand was constructed over decades to encourage U.S. colonization of the West. Learn how Anheuser-Busch helped in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://history.howstuffworks.com/american-history/custers-last-stand.htm

The idea of General George Custer's deadly military blunder being a heroic last stand was constructed over decades to encourage U.S. colonization of the West. Learn how Anheuser-Busch helped in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://history.howstuffworks.com/american-history/custers-last-stand.htm

How Did Beer Help Sell the Myth of Custer's Last Stand?

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/8761597e-cde0-460f-a4c4-b44301790350/transcript

When organisms like fireflies, fungi, and fish glow with cold light, there's chemistry at work. Learn what we know (and don't know!) about bioluminescence -- including how humans are harnessing it -- in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://animals.howstuffworks.com/animal-facts/bioluminescence.htm/printable

When organisms like fireflies, fungi, and fish glow with cold light, there's chemistry at work. Learn what we know (and don't know!) about bioluminescence -- including how humans are harnessing it -- in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://animals.howstuffworks.com/animal-facts/bioluminescence.htm/printable

How Does Bioluminescence Work?

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/0830c4ff-5cfb-4aea-8a3e-b44301790353/transcript

Around the year 1800, Swiss clockmaker Henri Maillardet created a mechanical doll that moves like a person as it produces drawings and poems with a pen on paper -- it's programmed for seven in total, without having any electrical parts. Learn how it and other automata work in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://science.howstuffworks.com/maillardets-automaton.htm

Around the year 1800, Swiss clockmaker Henri Maillardet created a mechanical doll that moves like a person as it produces drawings and poems with a pen on paper -- it's programmed for seven in total, without having any electrical parts. Learn how it and other automata work in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://science.howstuffworks.com/maillardets-automaton.htm

How Is Maillardet's Automaton Still Wowing Us After 200 Years?

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/6df0eb48-2fb5-4314-8e48-b43d000f1ba1/transcript

How Does the 'Zombie Ant' Fungus Work?

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