
Rise of the Zombie Bugs
The Surprising Science of Parasitic Mind-Control
- English
- ePUB (mobile friendly)
- Available on iOS & Android
About this book
Zombies aren't just the stuff of nightmares. Explore the fascinating world of real-life insect zombification.
Zombies are all around usâinsect zombies, that is. In Rise of the Zombie Bugs, Mindy Weisberger explores the eerie yet fascinating phenomenon of real-life zombification in the insect class and among other invertebrates. Zombifying parasites reproduce by rewriting their victims' neurochemistry, transforming them into the "walking dead": armies of cicadas, spiders, and other hosts that helplessly follow a zombifier's commands, living only to serve the parasite's needs until death's sweet release (and often beyond).
Through vivid descriptions and captivating storytelling, Weisberger explains the sinister mechanics of nature's most cunning survival strategies, including the biological marvels and evolutionary intricacies behind zombie ants, mind-controlled beetles, and the fungi and viruses that reprogram their hosts' behavior. Blending scientific rigor with a flair for the macabre, Weisberger takes readers on a global journeyâfrom Brazilian rainforests to European meadowsâto uncover the dark secrets of parasitic manipulation.
Her examination of these creatures seeks to answer fundamental questions of their existence: why is a bug's world full of zombies, why are arthropods so susceptible to this zombification, and could the creators of zombie bugs ever evolve to do the same to people? Perfect for fans of horror and science alike, Rise of the Zombie Bugs offers a chilling yet enlightening look at the hidden world of parasites. It's a must-read for anyone curious about the true terrors lurking in nature's undergrowth and the unnerving beauty of evolution's darker side.
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Information
Table of contents
- Cover
- Title Page
- Copyright Page
- Dedication
- Contents
- Introduction: Puppet Masters, Puppets, and What Makes a âZombie Bugâ
- 1 Zombifiers: An Origin Story
- 2 Fungus Among Us, Part I: Zombie Ants
- 3 Fungus Among Us, Part II: Zombie Flies, Beetles, and Millipedes
- 4 The Sleeper Awakens: Zombie Cicadas
- 5 Attack of the Ooze: Zombifying Viruses
- 6 The Original Chest-Bursters: Zombifying Wasps
- 7 âTil Death Do Us Part: Zombie Spiders, Roaches, and Ladybugs
- 8 Ant Decapitators and the Rise of the Zombees: Zombifying Flies
- 9 What Lies Within: Zombifying Worms
- 10 Our Zombie Future
- Acknowledgments
- Notes
- Index
- Promo Page