William C. Beckerson, Ph.D.
Outreach
Community outreach and involvement is a vital part of Dr. Beckerson's work. He frequently volunteer to speak with K-12 classrooms about a variety of biology topics including GMOs, Evolution, Symbioses, the Food Web, Fungi, Pathogens, Viruses and Vaccination (including SARS-CoV-2), and of course Zombie Ants!
If you would like to schedule a time for Dr. Beckerson to speak with your group, please email him in the CONTACT tab!
The Science Behind The Last of Us
The HBO series The Last of Us is a a live-action adaptation of a video game series based on an alternate reality where Ophiocordyceps fungi (simply called Cordyceps in the series) is able to jump hosts and start infecting and behaviorally manipulating humans! It follows Ellie, a teenage girl who is immune to the fungal infection that has wiped out most human life, and Joel, her father-like figure and protector. Together, the two travel across a zombie-infected, post-apocalyptic America in hopes that they can help to create a cure.
With The Last of Us season 2 set to release on April 13th, we will be taking a deep dive into the biology portrayed in the in both seasons of the series! Check back in soon!
How Fermentation Works in Kombucha
The process of brewing kombucha is an excellent project for learning about microbiology and fermentation! Microorganisms like bacteria and yeast play a major role in the fermentation process, shaping the flavor and texture of the drink. They also help strengthen our gut microbiomes when we drinking live cultures of kombucha.
Click on the link below to learn more about the science of brewing kombucha!
31 Days of Zombie Science!
To celebrate Halloween, we are taking a look at how biology is portrayed in some of the most popular zombie movies! Click on your favorite movie to learn more about topics like disease transmission, pathogen evolution, quarantine, and of course, behavior manipulation. Each movie will focus on 1 major biological theme, so it's worth reading them all. And if you feel up for an extra challenge, try watching the movies along with us before reading the reviews.
If you have a favorite zombie movie that wasn't covered in this list, send your recommendations to Dr. Beckerson via the CONTACT link and he will review it!
Science for Kids!
The Science Journal for Kids is an amazing non-profit group with the mission of making science easy to understand and accessible for everyone! Together, we have adapted two of our publications about zombie insect, free to view or listen to on their website!
You can also check out my interview with Ask A Scientist about zombie insects here:
Community Events!
Here are some of the upcoming and past local public engagement events! You can learn more about them, and even sign up for upcoming events, by clicking on the details button next to each event.
The Zombie Fungus Foray
Welcome to the Zombie Fungus Foray, a community science initiative in collaboration with the University of Central Florida for the discovery of Ophiocordyceps species! Ophiocordyceps are parasitic fungi that infect many species of insects globally, and while they typically go unnoticed, their life style is nothing short of amazing. These fungi, also known as "Zombie Fungi", infect their hosts and secrete mind-altering substances that cause the insects to behave in a way that is optimal for dispersal of fungal spores.
The Zombie Fungus Foray utilizes the free-to-use app from National Geographic and the California Academy of Sciences, iNaturalist. iNaturalist allows the user to take pictures of wildlife and upload them to a database where they can be used for real life science. The app will analyze the image in real time and offer suggestions for what type of organism it in your picture, making it an excellent tool for learning about the world around you!
The app also keeps GPS coordinates of uploaded pictures, allowing users to find certain organisms in their area. The Zombie Fungus Foray uses these GPS coordinates to lead "Zombie Ant Hunts" in the local community. Learn more about UPCOMING COMMUNITY EVENTS at the top of this page!
Learn more about the Zombie Fungus Foray at our website: https://wcbeckerson.wixsite.com/thezombiefungusforay