Ep 30: Zombie Ants, Glass Bottoms, And Hydrate, Ya Little Ramens!
Jess dives into the fascinating world of ZOMBIE ANTS!!! It’s actually just a really cool fungus…maybe not super cool for the ants that it prefers to infect and take control of… Ophiocordyceps unilateralis has very specific tastes and we probably shouldn’t worry about it developing a taste for humans… probably…
Hids takes us back to the 15th century and we learn about King Charles VI of France and his belief that he was made of glass…The phenomena of the Glass Delusion lasted around 200 years and afflicted the nobility and royalty of the time, especially those that were already suffering from or were predisposed to mental illness.
Jess’ Sources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ophiocordyceps_unilateralis
https://www.loc.gov/everyday-mysteries/biology-and-human-anatomy/item/whats-up-with-zombie-ants/
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/article/cordyceps-zombie-fungus-takes-over-ants
Hids’ Sources:
https://maximumfun.org/episodes/sawbones/sawbones-glass-delusion/
https://www.inspirethemind.org/post/glass-delusion-a-rare-and-sometimes-royal-disorder
https://www.history.com/articles/the-delusion-that-made-nobles-think-their-bodies-were-made-of-glass
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glass_delusion
Mental Health Resources:
https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/find-help
https://www.mentalhealthfirstaid.org/mental-health-resources/