The Science of Cordyceps: “The Last of Us” Fact or Fiction (A Mycologists Take)

let’s talk about the science behind Cordyceps mushrooms and “The Last of Us”. In the video game series and TV show, a fictional Ophiocordyceps species somehow evolves in infect humans, transforming them infected zombie-like creatures. The disease spreads quickly around the world causing an apocalypse scenario, pitting infected against the remaining healthy humans. This is a PHENOMENON Sci-Fi concept but is not a realistic scenario. In this video I address what the HBO writers got right and what they got wrong when it comes to the science of Cordydeps ans Entomopathogenic fungi. Hopefully you appreciate this longer format of video and more extensive explanation. Cheers!
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#cordyceps #cordycepsfungi #ophiocordyceps #entomopathogenicfungi #thelastofus #tlou #thelastofushbo #tlouhbo #scicomm #fascinatedbyfungi

[@allosaur_reborn]

Thanks for clarifying it, the idea of mushroom zombies was actually introduced to me through the TV show Primeval, which had a zombifying fungus from the future turn people into hulking mushroom beasts and it kind of traumatized me as a child because being a time travel/creature of the week show mostly about dinosaurs, the zombifying fungus came out of left field and resembled nothing I had ever seen up until that point. You literally put one of my childhood traumas to rest with this video, and I genuinely cannot thank you enough for it because I was becoming fearful about even coming near any mushrooms.

[@b4rti89]

Awesome video. Regarding the Bites, this was one of the changes they made in comparison to the game. In the game, the fungi spreads by spores and the whole time you are running in a gas mask, so the actors had to be wearing them all the time and you couldn't see their faces.

[@THE_K-LL-R_FR-G]

i love your videos it makes me soo happy learning about mushrooms more

[@Jax11-fi9rp]

Thanks now I'm not scared of turning into a zombie 🎉

[@hooptychoo]

Ah shite