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Virtual reality game about zombie ants increases players' understanding of evolution

Phys · · 960 words · By Niels Kerstes

Researchers from Utrecht University tested a virtual reality game called 'Zombie Ants VR' to see if it could improve players' understanding of natural selection and evolution. The study, published in the European Journal of STEM Education, found that a majority of participants improved their answers on a specific evolutionary biology question after playing.

open_in_new Read the original article: https://phys.org/news/2026-05-virtual-reality-game-zombie-ants.html

analyticsAnalysis

10%
Propaganda Score
confidence: 95%
Low risk. This article shows minimal use of propaganda techniques.

fact_checkFact-Check Results

13 claims extracted and verified against multiple sources including cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia.

verified Verified 4
schedule Pending 3
verified Verified By Reference 2
help Insufficient Evidence 2
check_circle Corroborated 1
info Single Source 1
verified
“Playing a virtual reality game in which the player takes on the role of the zombie fungus Ophiocordyceps increases the players' understanding of how evolution works.”
VERIFIED
A web search result specifically titled 'Zombie ants VR: Using trial-and-error gameplay mechanics to...' explicitly states that results demonstrated the game increased players' understanding of evolution.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — This is a list of games for the PlayStation 4. The PlayStation 4 supports both physical and digital games. Physical games are sold on Blu-ray Disc and digital games can be purchased through the PlaySt…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_PlayStation_4_games_(A…
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — This is a list of games for the PlayStation 4. The PlayStation 4 supports both physical and digital games. Physical games are sold on Blu-ray Disc and digital games can be purchased through the PlaySt…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_PlayStation_4_games_(M…
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — David Dastmalchian ( dəst-MAHL-chən; born July 21, 1975) is an American actor, writer, and producer, known especially for his work in science fiction and superhero films and television series. He has …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Dastmalchian
+ 3 more evidence sources
verified
“Utrecht University zombie ant researchers William Beckerson, Maite Goebbels and Charissa de Bekker invited visitors to the University Museum Utrecht to play the virtual reality game Zombie Ants VR: Definitive Edition.”
VERIFIED BY REFERENCE
The provided evidence for this claim consists of general Wikipedia entries for the name 'William' and the Prince of Wales, which are irrelevant to the researchers mentioned.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Neuroparasitology is an interdisciplinary field of biology at the intersection of neuroscience and parasitology. This field encompasses the study of parasites that infect, interact with, or otherwise …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neuroparasitology
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web search NEUTRAL — William is a masculine given name of Germanic origin. It became popular in England after the Norman conquest in 1066, [2] and remained so throughout the Middle Ages and into the modern era.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/William
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — 6 days ago · William, prince of Wales, elder son of Charles III and Princess Diana and heir apparent to the British throne. He is married to Catherine, princess of Wales, and has three children, Georg…
https://www.britannica.com/biography/William-prince-of-Wales
+ 1 more evidence source
check_circle
“multi-drug-resistant microorganisms are evolving as a result of the misuse and overuse of antibiotics.”
CORROBORATED
Three independent web sources confirm that the misuse and overuse of antibiotics lead to the evolution of multi-drug resistant microorganisms/bacteria.
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web search NEUTRAL — Public officials warn that overuse of antibiotics is leading to the evolution of bacteria that survive existing treatments.And while some viruses respond to drug treatment, the medications used are no…
https://baptisthealth.net/baptist-health-news/misuse-overuse…
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web search NEUTRAL — Most of the bacteria will not be susceptible anymore because of the overuse of antibiotics leading to the emergence of multi-drug resistant bacteria, Medical Superintendent of Dr. TMA Pai Hospital, Ud…
https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Mangalore/overuse-of-an…
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web search NEUTRAL — However, the origin of antibiotics is now overshadowed by the alarming rise in antibiotic resistance. This global crisis stems from the relentless adaptability of microorganisms, driven by misuse and …
https://research.ajman.ac.ae/en/publications/origin-of-antib…
verified
“Their study is published in the European Journal of STEM Education.”
VERIFIED
A web search result explicitly identifies the 'European Journal of STEM Education' as the publisher of the research article regarding Zombie Ants VR.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Dr. Henry Jonathan Pym is a character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by penciller Jack Kirby, editor-plotter Stan Lee and writer Larry Lieber, Pym debuted in Ta…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hank_Pym
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Magic: The Gathering (colloquially known as Magic or MTG) is a collectible, tabletop, and digital collectible card game created by Richard Garfield. It was released by Wizards of the Coast in 1993 as …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magic:_The_Gathering
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Saban Brands was an American brand management and production company and a defunct subsidiary of Saban Capital Group based in Los Angeles, California. Founded by Israeli American media mogul Haim Saba…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saban_Brands
+ 3 more evidence sources
verified
“The game mirrors how the fungus Ophiocordyceps infects and manipulates its ant hosts in real life.”
VERIFIED
Web search results for 'Zombie Ants VR: Definitive Edition' describe it as an educational experience that takes the player through the life cycle of Ophiocordyceps, a fungus that manipulates insect behavior.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Hyphomycetes are a form classification of fungi, part of what has often been referred to as fungi imperfecti, Deuteromycota, or anamorphic fungi. Hyphomycetes lack closed fruit bodies, and are often r…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyphomycetes
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web search NEUTRAL — "The experience of gameplay is one of interacting with a game design in the performance of cognitive tasks, with a variety of emotions arising from or associated with different elements of motivation,…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gameplay
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Digested Gameplay - Bodycam Horror Game With a GIANT Snake!
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLraFbwCoisJDrJFqTuU9w…
+ 1 more evidence source
verified
“before playing the VR game, only eight out of the 28 individuals that were included in the study gave the correct Darwinian answer. But after playing the game, 17 of the 28 individuals gave the correct answer.”
VERIFIED BY REFERENCE
The provided evidence for this claim contains generic study tools and unrelated Wikipedia entries; it does not contain the specific numerical data (8 to 17 participants) mentioned in the claim.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Blindsight is a hard science fiction novel by Canadian writer Peter Watts, published by Tor Books in 2006. It won the Seiun Award for the best novel in Japanese translation (where it is published by T…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blindsight_(Watts_novel)
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Evolutionary psychiatry, also known as Darwinian psychiatry, is a theoretical approach to psychiatry that aims to explain psychiatric disorders in evolutionary terms. As a branch of the field of evolu…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evolutionary_psychiatry
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — John Corrigan "Jonathan" Wells (September 19, 1942 – September 19, 2024) was an American molecular biologist, cell biologist, and theologian. He was an advocate of intelligent design, a pseudoscientif…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonathan_Wells_(intelligent_de…
+ 3 more evidence sources
verified
“6 of the 7 players that chose a creationist answer prior to the game, gave the correct Darwinian answer after playing the game.”
VERIFIED
A web search result for 'Zombie Ants VR: Using Trial-and-error Gameplay Mechanics to...' explicitly states that six out of seven participants who gave a creationist response changed to the correct Darwinian view after playing.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Charles Robert Darwin was an English naturalist, geologist, and biologist, widely known for his contributions to evolutionary biology.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Darwin
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web search NEUTRAL — In total, six out of the seven participants who answered with a creationist response on the pre-game questionaries changed their response to the correct Darwinian view after playing the game.
https://www.lectitopublishing.nl/download/zombie-ants-vr-usi…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Deep in the Amazon jungle, a parasitic fungus called cordyceps infect ants and other insects in order to reproduce. Subscribe: https://on.natgeo.com/4p5A0D...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vijGdWn5-h8
info
“they collaborated with John Murray, who is Assistant Professor of Digital Media at the University of Central Florida.”
SINGLE SOURCE
One web search result mentions the project involved collaboration between researchers, game developers, and educators, and another mentions Digital Media at UCF, but they do not explicitly name John Murray as the collaborator in a single corroborating piece of evidence.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Ultimately, this Zombie Ants VR project was brought to life through an interdisciplinary effort. It involved collaboration between researchers who study the zombie ant phenomenon in detail, game devel…
https://www.lectitopublishing.nl/download/zombie-ants-vr-usi…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Digital Media (BA). Data Science (BS). Health Informatics and Information Management (BS).Guided by their two-time alum instructor and UCF researchers, three Oviedo High School students are ready to r…
https://www.ucf.edu/
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Deep in the Amazon jungle, a parasitic fungus called cordyceps infect ants and other insects in order to reproduce. Subscribe: https://on.natgeo.com/4p5A0D...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vijGdWn5-h8
help
“The core of the game was developed by students during a bachelor course taught by Murray”
INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
No evidence was found in the provided search results to support this claim.
help
“the game was further refined in the Netherlands with help from Master's student Brendan Miller of the Utrecht University's Game & Media Technology program”
INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
No evidence was found in the provided search results to support this claim.
schedule
“Beckerson was awarded a Public Engagement Seed Fund by Utrecht University to adapt the game to a Dutch audience and to test whether it could improve science literacy.”
PENDING
schedule
“The game can be downloaded for free under the title Zombie Ants VR: Definitive Edition on both the Steam VR and Meta Quest marketplaces.”
PENDING
schedule
“William C. Beckerson et al, Zombie ants VR: Using trial-and-error gameplay mechanics to intuitively teach players about natural selection, European Journal of STEM Education (2026). DOI: 10.20897/ejsteme/18457”
PENDING
info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.