Prompt Cast
The Apocalyptic Emergence of Billions of Cicadas in the U.S.
TLDR Billions of cicadas from brood X are expected to emerge after 17 years underground, engaging in a drug-fueled orgy and wreaking havoc on trees. Despite being infected by a fungus that eats away at their bodies, the cicadas continue to sing and mate, ensuring their survival for future generations.
Timestamped Summary
00:00
Billions of cicadas from brood X are expected to cover cities and towns across parts of the U.S., creating an apocalyptic scene reminiscent of the last time they emerged 17 years ago.
03:55
Billions of cicadas from brood X are expected to emerge after 17 years underground to engage in a drug-fueled orgy and reproduce.
08:49
Male cicadas have a short lifespan of about six weeks to find a mate, and they compete with each other by singing songs using organs that look like crinkle-cut potato chips, while females respond by flicking their wings; after mating, female cicadas lay up to 600 eggs.
13:24
Cicadas can cause damage to trees when they lay their eggs, as the incisions they make can weaken branches and cause them to fall off, but this is mostly a problem for young trees and big trees are usually fine; after the eggs hatch, the baby cicadas burrow underground and will stay there for another 17 years until they emerge again.
18:13
A fungus called mesospora infects cicadas, eats away at their abdomens, causing their butts and genitalia to fall off, and turns them into "flying salt shakers of death" that spread fungal spores.
22:26
The fungus infecting cicadas can change their behavior, making them hornier, and contains amphetamines, which explains why the cicadas continue to be active and whistle despite losing a third of their body.
26:26
Cicadas coordinate their emergence based on the changes in tree sap and use chemical signals to count the years, sometimes emerging four years earlier, ensuring they have plenty of friends by their side.
30:26
Dead cicadas act as natural fertilizer for trees, making them taller and wider, and people should sit back and enjoy the spectacle of the cicadas emerging from the ground this summer.
