Darwinbots Forum
General => Biology => Topic started by: lokiwizz on January 06, 2014, 04:15:53 PM
-
Have a look at this newly found fungi that infects insects brain and takes over
What you think about that? http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ophiocordyceps_unilateralis (http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ophiocordyceps_unilateralis)
-
As far as I know it isn't newly discovered. Or at least, ant-fungus parasites that mess with the ants' brain have been known for a while. They're the inspiration for the zombies in the game Last of Us (cordyceps), for instance.
-
well it may not be new but i just read about it the other day as read here http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2013/09/absurd-creature-of-the-week-zombie-ant-fungus/ (http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2013/09/absurd-creature-of-the-week-zombie-ant-fungus/) :blink:
still amazing that a fungus can do that :wacko:
anyone try to impalement this in db?
-
In darwinbots we model single celled organisms mostly. And the multi-celled that we do model are too simple to have a brain area.
I have not read the article, however the behavior closest to what you are describing can be reached by created a virus gene that deletes all other genes in the dna except for itself. You will need to study how single gene robots work.
-
That's what tought would need to be done, new to db.
Was just wondering if any other bots had behavior close to this
So that I could study the DNA code. Looks like viral bots are what I'm after.
Also how single gene works. db is a cool program only wish I had found it
Sooner.
-
A normal (real live) virus inserts it's genome into a cell. That takes over the cell. Most viruses let the cell produce more viruses till the cell bursts open with viruses that can then go to other cells. It's also possible that the virus just takes control and do what they like with the cell. (but I don't know any real live examples that do this.)
That's also possible in DB. The only issue is that you can only send one gene with a virus shot at a time, so there's a need for a single gene bot.
There's a bit about doing this on the wiki.
http://wiki.darwinbots.com/w/Virus
-
Well, this evolved bot that came from the Shell Maker bot uses a virus to turn whatever tries to eat it against it's buddies. It's not like a fungus at all, but it has the same effect.
http://forum.darwinbots.com/index.php/topic,6380.0.html
I'm actually interested in how it's doing that.