homehome Home chatchat Notifications


Zombie-ant fungi and dinosaur embryos: spectacular winning photos from nature competition

The competition celebrates the beauty of nature, but also it's fragility.

Tibi Puiu
August 22, 2023 @ 12:14 am

share Share

An invasive orange pore fungus poses unknown ecological consequences for Australian ecosystems.
Credit: Cornelia Sattler

A stunning photo capturing a vivid orange pore fungus (Favolaschia calocera) thriving on rotten wood has emerged as the victor of this year’s BMC Ecology and Evolution image competition. The photograph, taken by Cornelia Sattler from Macquarie University, Australia, is more than just a pretty picture though. Beyond the seemingly innocent beauty of the fungus, Sattler says that we must also recognize its invasive nature and the devastation it has caused to Australia’s ecosystems.

Despite its alluring appearance, the orange pore fungus poses a threat by displacing other native fungi and encroaching upon the Australian rainforest. The fungus’s spores can be carried by humans, which is why people traveling in protected natural areas should exercise extra vigilance to protect Australia’s biodiversity.

Originally discovered in Madagascar, the orange pore fungus has spread across the globe, including Australia. However, it is not alone. Many invasive species, such as the European rabbit, root rot fungus, and feral pigs, are jeopardizing a significant portion of Australian species currently facing extinction.

Nature: stunning but fragile

The BMC Ecology and Evolution image competition offers a window into the diverse and captivating world of science through art. While the winning images are all visually engaging, they also underscore the importance of scientific vigilance and ecological preservation. Each photograph serves as a reminder that the natural world is not only awe-inspiring but also deeply interconnected and fragile.

ustainable beekeeping for chimpanzees.
Credit: Roberto García-Roa.

In the Protecting Our Planet category, Roberto García-Roa from the University of Lund, Sweden, won first place with his image of beekeepers caring for a hive within a sustainable beekeeping project in Guinea. The initiative, which encourages locals to cultivate honey, serves as a means to combat deforestation in the area that is currently threatening chimpanzee populations.

A mycoparasitic fungus parasitizing the fruiting body of a zombie-ant fungus.
Credit: João Araújo.

João Araújo, representing the New York Botanical Garden, triumphed in the Plants and Fungi category. His photograph captures a different fungus parasitizing the fruiting body of a zombie-ant fungus.

Zombie-ant fungi possess the remarkable ability to manipulate the behavior of their insect hosts, coercing them to relocate to more favorable environments for their own growth. This unique phenomenon is observed across forests worldwide, ranging from tropical to temperate regions, where various Camponotini ants fall victim to this manipulation.

But, in this case, the zombie-ant fungus met its match: another parasitic fungus.

“The forests inhabited by these fungi also provide a habitat for mycoparasitic fungal lineages that exhibit the ability to parasitize, consume, and even castrate Ophiocordyceps. It is only recently that scientists have begun to document and describe these lesser-known fungi that possess the ability to eliminate other fungi,” said Araújo.

 Researchers from the Hoey Reef Ecology Lab deploy an underwater ROV at Diamond Reef within the Coral Sea Marine Park.
Credit: Victor Huertas

Victor Huertas from James Cook University, Australia, seized the first spot in the Research in Action category. His winning image features an underwater remotely-operated vehicle deployed in the crystal-clear waters of the Coral Sea Marine Park in Australia, offering a glimpse into marine exploration. Thanks to these devices, the team has uncovered new species in reefs where they had not yet been documented, expanding the geographic range of multiple fish species. 

Last but not least, an enthralling digital illustration portraying the embryonic development of a dinosaur within an egg claimed the Paleoecology category. It’s based on the finding of a pair of hadrosauroid dinosaur eggs and embryos from China’s Upper Cretaceous red beds from between 72 and 66 million years ago. This snapshot of prehistoric life was submitted by Jordan Mallon from the Canadian Museum of Nature and created by Wenyu Ren from Beijing, China.

“The relatively small size of the egg and the unspecialized nature of the dinosaur embryo developing within it suggests that the earliest hadrosaurs were born immature and helpless. Over time, hadrosaurs began to lay larger eggs, indicating that their young may have been born at more advanced stages of development and required less parental care than earlier hadrosaurs,” Mallon said.

Runner-up entries

Defeated. A spider seemingly defeated by a parasitic fungus. Credit: Roberto García-Roa
Plants and fungi: runner-up. Defeated. A spider seemingly defeated by a parasitic fungus. Credit: Roberto García-Roa
Research in action: runner-up. Researchers from the University of Glasgow’s Scottish Marine Animal Stranding Scheme conduct a necropsy of a stranded humpback whale. Credit: Submitted by Professor Paul Thompson, photo captured by James Bunyan from Tracks Ecology
Research in action: runner-up. Researchers from the University of Glasgow’s Scottish Marine Animal Stranding Scheme conduct a necropsy of a stranded humpback whale. Credit: Submitted by Professor Paul Thompson, photo captured by James Bunyan from Tracks Ecology
Paleoecology: runner-up. Paradoxical preservation. Microscopy reveals an extracted diplodocid dinosaur blood vessel. Credit: Dr. Jasmina Wiemann
Paleoecology: runner-up. Paradoxical preservation. Microscopy reveals an extracted diplodocid dinosaur blood vessel. Credit: Dr. Jasmina Wiemann

share Share

These Revolutionary Maps Are Revealing Earth's Geological Secrets

This work paves the way for more precise and comprehensive geological models

These Cockatoos Prepare Their Food by Dunking it Into Water

Just like some of us enjoy rusk dipped in coffee or tea, intelligent cockatoos delight in eating rusk dipped in water.

Two tiger cubs were released in Siberia. They reunited as mates after a trek of 120 miles

Reuniting as mates, they’ve not only adapted to the wild but sparked new hope for the survival of Amur tigers.

Haunting video from NASA and ESA shows Greenland losing 563 cubic miles of ice in under 30 seconds

We all know (hopefully) that warming temperatures is driving ice loss. But seeing it makes it all the more disturbing. Don’t get me wrong, the visualization produced by NASA and ESA is beautiful, but what it’s showing is simply heartbreaking. Between 2010 and 2023, Greenland lost 563 cubic miles (2,347 cubic kilometers) of ice, which […]

Why aren't there giant animals anymore?

Contrary to Cope's Rule, today's animals, including polar bears, are shrinking due to climate change and human impacts.

The Neuroscience Behind Vermeer's Girl and Its Hypnotic Power

There's a reason why viewers can't look away from Vermeer's masterpiece.

NASA spots Christmas "tree" and "wreath" in the cosmos

NASA has captured the holiday spirit in space with stunning images of NGC 602 and NGC 2264.

How Our Human Lineage Broke All the Rules of Vertebrate Evolution

New study challenges traditional views on human evolution with "bizarre" findings.

A giant volcano spanning 280 miles and taller than Mt. Everest was discovered on Mars

Noctis Mons marks a monumental volcanic discovery on Mars, reshaping our understanding of the Red Planet's geology.

The Future of Acne Scar Treatment: How Exosomes and Fractional CO2 Lasers are Changing the Game

Acne scars no longer have to be a permanent reminder—discover how cutting-edge treatments like exosomes and fractional CO2 lasers are transforming skin rejuvenation.