The show The Last of Us got me wondering: Is fungi intelligent? How can a non-intelligent life form take control of an intelligent one, even if its intelligence is low? How the Zombie Ant Fungus Works The Ophiocordyceps fungus doesn’t give precise step-by-step movement commands like a remote control. Instead, it hijacks the ant’s nervous and muscular systems, subtly manipulating behavior while allowing the ant to appear mostly normal—until the final “climb-and-bite” stage. How It Moves Without Being Detected: Preserved Locomotion – The fungus doesn’t fully disrupt motor functions; the ant continues walking in a mostly natural way, reducing suspicion from nestmates. Stealth Mode – Infected ants avoid erratic movements, making it less likely that others will detect and remove them before the fungus matures. Neural Hijacking, Not Brain Control – The fungus primarily affects muscles, not higher brain functions, allowing the ant to navigate obstacles as if making its own choices. ...