The Ophiocordyceps unilateralis fungus has just one goal: self-propagation and dispersal. To do so, the parasitic fungus hijacks ants ’ bodies, essentially turning them into zombies.

Bacteria go to extremes to handle hard times: They hunker down, building a fortress-like shell around their DNA and turning off all signs of life. And yet, when times improve, these dormant spores can ...

Monosson is the author of Blight: Fungi and the Coming Pandemic. She is an adjunct faculty member at the University of Massachusetts Amherst There are many reasons to fear a new fungal pathogen—from ...