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'Zombie' spiders infected by never-before-seen fungus discovered on grounds of destroyed Irish castle
Live Science ^ | January 30, 2025 | Patrick Pester

Posted on 02/01/2025 9:06:18 PM PST by Red Badger

A new fungus that infects cave spiders and turns them into "zombies" was discovered in a Victorian gunpowder store at Castle Espie in Northern Ireland during filming for a TV show.

The zombie-spider fungus (Gibellula attenboroughii) infects spiders while they're still alive. (Image credit: Tim Fogg) Scientists have discovered a never-before-seen mind-controlling fungus that creates spider "zombies" after it was stumbled upon in a Victorian gunpowder store on the grounds of a destroyed Irish castle.

The fluffy white fungus, similar to the zombie-ant fungus that inspired the "The Last of Us" video game and TV series, likely uses chemical signals to direct cave spiders out of their lairs and into the open. The fungus then kills the spiders and uses their corpses to release its spores, according to a new study.

Members of BBC's nature documentary TV series Winterwatch first discovered the fungus in a gunpowder storeroom at Castle Espie wetland reserve in Northern Ireland in 2021. Scientists analyzed the fungus and found it is new to science. They describe the species, named Gibellula attenboroughii to honor Sir David Attenborough, in a study published Friday (Jan. 24) in the journal Fungal Systematics and Evolution.

The G. attenboroughii found in the gunpowder store was on a dead orb-weaving cave spider (Metellina merianae). As their name suggests, these spiders usually live in caves but will also inhabit dark human-made areas such as cellars and old storerooms.

(Excerpt) Read more at livescience.com ...


TOPICS: Health/Medicine; Outdoors; Pets/Animals; Weird Stuff
KEYWORDS: castle; castleespie; cryptobiology; europe; fartyshadesofgreen; fungus; godsgravesglyphs; ireland; northernireland; spiders

1 posted on 02/01/2025 9:06:18 PM PST by Red Badger
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To: Red Badger

Keep Fauci away from it.


2 posted on 02/01/2025 9:13:31 PM PST by BenLurkin (The above is not a statement of fact. It is either opinion, or satire, or both.)
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To: Red Badger

I like the first name proposed for this spider more than the other, which used Attenborough’s name.
The first name considered was “Bangbangus” named for the gunpowder store they were found in.


3 posted on 02/01/2025 9:22:34 PM PST by lee martell
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To: Red Badger

'Zombie' spiders infected by never-before-seen fungus discovered on grounds of destroyed Irish castle

Now THAT'S a headline!
4 posted on 02/01/2025 9:30:43 PM PST by Jeff Chandler (THE ISSUE IS NEVER THE ISSUE. THE REVOLUTION IS THE ISSUE.)
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To: Red Badger

Ot worried, the murder wasps will protect us from zombie spiders... well, unless they make an unholy alliance


5 posted on 02/01/2025 9:44:54 PM PST by Bob434 (TTERIES IN THE FIRST ROOM)
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To: Bob434

Murder Hornets have been declared eradicated in USA.....


6 posted on 02/01/2025 9:56:37 PM PST by Red Badger (Homeless veterans camp in the streets while illegals are put up in 5 Star hotels....................)
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To: Bob434

https://abcnews.go.com/US/murder-hornet-declared-eradicated-united-states/story?id=116916451


7 posted on 02/01/2025 9:57:22 PM PST by Red Badger (Homeless veterans camp in the streets while illegals are put up in 5 Star hotels....................)
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To: Jeff Chandler

It sounds like the story line of a sci-fi horror movie.


8 posted on 02/01/2025 10:03:15 PM PST by TigersEye (The Golden Age of MAGA is upon us! )
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To: Red Badger

There is a fungus, I believe in the Amazon, which does this to ants. It’s probably in the same family tree, so to speak.

Fascinating. Awful, but fascinating.


9 posted on 02/01/2025 10:04:03 PM PST by Tacrolimus1mg (Do no harm, but take no sh!t.)
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To: TigersEye

That’s a good idea.


10 posted on 02/01/2025 10:12:11 PM PST by Jeff Chandler (THE ISSUE IS NEVER THE ISSUE. THE REVOLUTION IS THE ISSUE.)
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To: Jeff Chandler

:) thanks!

Personally that would be the kind of movie I wouldn’t watch if you tied me to a chair and held my eyelids open with clamps.

But it sure would fit the genre.


11 posted on 02/01/2025 10:18:31 PM PST by TigersEye (The Golden Age of MAGA is upon us! )
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To: Red Badger

I say we nuke them from orbit. It’s the only way to be sure.


12 posted on 02/02/2025 2:30:12 AM PST by 7thson (I've got a seat at the big conference table! I'm gonna paint my logo on it!)
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To: Red Badger
Thanks Red Badger. At least they're not from Mars and dye their hair.

13 posted on 02/02/2025 4:14:42 AM PST by SunkenCiv (Putin should skip ahead to where he kills himself in the bunker.)
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To: Red Badger
The Last of Us.. d;^)
14 posted on 02/02/2025 5:26:11 AM PST by CopperTop (Outside the wire it's just us chickens. Dig?)
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To: Red Badger

What are they selling in the gunpowder store?


15 posted on 02/02/2025 8:34:45 AM PST by Scrambler Bob (Running Rampant, and not endorsing nonsense; My pronoun is EXIT. And I am generally full of /S)
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To: Scrambler Bob

Guy Fawkes masks.........


16 posted on 02/02/2025 8:45:31 AM PST by Red Badger (Homeless veterans camp in the streets while illegals are put up in 5 Star hotels....................)
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To: Red Badger

waiting for the next wave, Maim Hornets


17 posted on 02/02/2025 9:21:23 AM PST by Bob434 (TTERIES IN THE FIRST ROOM)
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