ZOMBIES ARE REAL!!
Zombie Spiders!!
Scientists in Europe have found a new fungus that affects cave spiders. A fungus is a kind of living thing that is like a plant but is not really a plant. A fungus can't make its own food the way plants can. It has to eat other things, such as dead plants. This fungus, called Gibellula Attenboroughii, makes spiders leave their webs before they die. After the spider dies, the fungus grows and spreads its spores to other spiders.
The fungus in Nolan’s refrigerator sent him an eviction notice—I guess it thinks he’s the problem.
It Was Under My Bed….Wait No.
The fungus was first seen in Northern Ireland in 2021. A television crew found an infected spider in an old building. Here, the word infect means to give someone a disease. Later, scientists found more infected spiders in different caves in Ireland. The spiders were all in open spaces, not in their webs.
The zombie virus can infect health cells by taking controlling of it.
I’m Feeling Sick.
Most spiders like to stay in their webs. However, infected spiders move to open areas before they die. Scientists think the fungus changes the spider’s brain, but they do not know how. This movement helps the fungus spread to new places. When we talk about things like running, jumping, flying, dancing, and spinning, we are talking about movement. So movement is a change in place or position.
Grandma heard that movement can help you live longer she started dancing. Now she’s the leader of a dance gang!
….And This Is Important? Why?
Scientists have known about other fungi that control insects, but this is a new case with spiders. An insect is a small creature with six legs like a bee, a fly or an ant. These fungi may help keep nature in balance. Many fungi have not been discovered yet, and scientists want to learn more about them.
Desmond told his mother that there is an insect in his soup. She said, “Don’t worry, it tastes just like chicken.”
Is It Dangerous?
Some people may worry that this fungus could affect humans, like in movies. To worry is to feel nervous or afraid about something and it's hard for you to stop thinking about it. However, scientists say this fungus only infects spiders. It cannot live in the human body. In the future, studying this fungus might help scientists find new medicines.
No, you look cool. Don’t worry.
Bonus: Today’s Idiom(s)
For my more advanced readers, what do you think about fungi taking over spiders and “bugging” them until they make them kill themselves? Are fungi so intelligent that they can take over higher level creatures’ minds?! Tell me in the comments below and remember to use at least one of the vocabulary words you learned above.
The American idiom, “bugging” means to bother or annoy someone. So “you’re bugging me” means “you’re bothering me”.
Please take the quiz for this story here: https://newyorkenglish.net/blog-3-1