Zombie fungus uses dead female flies to infect healthy flies using spores

A fungus that infects house flies has evolved a remarkable way to send spores towards new hosts. Entomophthora muscae grows inside an infected fly and, after the insect dies, it produces microscopic stalks that emerge from its body. Each stalk forms a single spore at its tip. Instead of simply dropping away, the spore is forcefully expelled in a burst of liquid. A study published in the Journal of The Royal Society Publishing titled ‘Fungal artillery of zombie flies: infectious spore dispersal using a soft water cannon’ investigated this unusual launch using high-speed videography and a biomimetic ‘soft cannon'.The researchers found that pressure slowly builds inside the fungal stalk until it breaks at a weak spot. This sudden burst pushes the spore into the air. The study also showed that the size of the spore matters, and it needs to be large enough to move through the thin layer of still air around the dead fly, but small enough to be picked up by air currents. This balance helps the spores travel away from the dead fly and increases their chances of reaching another house fly.How does the zombie fly fungus develop inside its hostEntomophthora muscae (fungus) starts its life cyc...