Question: (I don't know if I already asked this's because i don't know how this site works) I was watching a video and it was about Ophiocordyceps unilateralism, a fungus that breaks through the exoskeleton of an ant and takes control of the ants nerves. Then makes the ant find a humid place so the fungus can grow. Do you think this can evolve and eventually effect humans?

Nancy Carlisle answered on 24 Jun 2014:

Yeah, I’ve totally seen that before too- the fungus can control the mind of the ants!!! As we don’t have an exoskeleton, it’s very unlikely that the fungus would be able to adapt any time soon to influence us. In addition, our brains are far more complex, which would mean that even if the fungus did get into our brains, it probably wouldn’t work in the same way.

Rabies is a virus that attacks the nervous system in a specific way to encourage the virus to be passed on- it makes the infected animal more aggressive so that it will attack other animals and pass the virus on to them. Humans can get rabies (but luckily there is also a vaccine!).