Sex-Crazed Zombie Cicadas Controlled by Psychoactive Fungus Found to Produce Amphetamine

As the periodical cicadas emerge from their 17-year underground slumber, a bizarre and unsettling phenomenon has been discovered. Some of these insects are being hijacked by a super-sized fungus, turning them into sex-crazed zombies on speed.

A Fungus Like No Other

At the center of this strange occurrence is a fungus called Massospora cicadina, which is the only one on Earth known to produce amphetamine, commonly referred to as speed. Once the fungus infects a cicada, it takes control of the insect, inducing hypersexual behavior and manipulating its reproductive instincts to spread the parasite as a sexually transmitted disease. According to experts, the infected cicadas become completely at the mercy of the fungus, altering their behavior and appearance.

The Enigmatic Fungus

Further investigation into the fungus revealed that it possesses the largest known genome of any fungus, containing approximately 1.5 billion base pairs—making it about 30 times longer than many common fungi. The peculiar nature of this fungus has baffled researchers, with its ability to produce unique compounds and keep the host active, posing a significant scientific enigma.

A Quest for Infected Cicadas

Professor Matt Kasson, along with his son and a graduate student, embarked on a mission to collect infected cicadas from various locations. Despite the challenges, they managed to gather 36 infected cicadas during their trip, with an additional 200 sent in by people from across the country. The team is eagerly awaiting the results of an RNA analysis of the fungus for further insights.

The Intriguing Behavior of Infected Cicadas

It has been speculated by experts that approximately one in 1,000 periodical cicadas may be infected with the Massospora cicadina fungus. However, the exact prevalence remains uncertain, with suggestions that healthy cicadas tend to stay higher up in trees, potentially skewing the estimates. There is ongoing debate among scientists regarding the timing of infection, with questions arising about the fungus's impact on cicadas during different stages of their life cycle.

The Peculiar Spread of the Fungus

Unlike typical parasites that kill their hosts, the Massospora cicadina fungus relies on keeping the cicadas alive to fulfill its reproductive cycle. Infected cicadas actively seek to mate and spread the spores to uninfected individuals, with male cicadas even adopting female-like behavior to attract and infect other males. This unusual behavior serves as a mechanism for the fungus to propagate, leading to further intrigue among researchers.

The Psychedelic Connection

A related fungus that infects annual cicadas in the western regions of the United States produces a psychoactive compound in the insects, akin to psychedelics such as magic mushrooms. This distinction emphasizes the diverse effects of different fungal infections on cicadas, prompting caution against erroneously associating the amphetamine produced by the periodical cicadas with the compounds found in annual cicadas. It is worth noting that consuming infected cicadas is strongly advised against, given their altered composition and potential toxicity.

Insights from the Field

In one instance, in the pursuit of scientific inquiry, Professor Kasson sampled an infected cicada, describing the taste as incredibly bitter and reminiscent of something potentially poisonous. This serves as a stark reminder of the risks associated with interacting with infected cicadas, highlighting the need for caution and further research into this peculiar phenomenon.