The popular HBO show “The Last of Us” has sparked debate on whether its fictional Cordyceps infection could happen in real life. The answer is highly unlikely, but the fungus from which it’s based is very real.
Cordyceps, also known as the “zombie ant fungus,” infects insects and takes control of their nervous system, forcing them to climb to high locations before producing spores. However, this fungus has evolved to thrive in ants, not humans.
There are several reasons why Cordyceps cannot infect humans:
– Human body temperature is significantly different from that of insects, making it difficult for the fungus to survive.
– Human-to-human transmission of fungal diseases is rare and usually not contagious between people.
– The fungus would need millions of years of evolution or a serious lab experiment gone wrong to adapt to human physiology.
While scientists agree that Cordyceps is fictional in its current form, science fiction often highlights real-life scientific concepts and their potential for future development. As the show demonstrates, even frightening possibilities can become uncomfortably close to reality if left unchecked.
Source: https://1075koolfm.com/really-happen