ZOMBIE FUNGUS DISCOVERED IN SCOTLAND: NO NEED TO PANIC

A rare Gibellula fungus, which infects spiders and influences their behavior, has been discovered in a Scottish rainforest, stirring thoughts reminiscent of HBO's adaptation of The Last of Us, inspired by the fictional Cordyceps brain infection that turns humans into zombie-like creatures. The fungus forces spiders to cling to the undersides of leaves, aiding in the spreading of its spores. This discovery, made by amateur naturalist Ben Mitchell, highlights the rare occurrence of such fungi in Scotland, previously documented only ten times over the last seven decades. While the real-world Gibellula acts on spiders, it raises speculative concerns about the potential evolution of fungi like Cordyceps that could affect humans.

Currently, there is no evidence to suggest that any fungi have evolved the ability to control human minds as portrayed in The Last of Us. The focus remains primarily on how such fungi interact with insects, but scientific curiosity about these types of fungi continues to persist.

The Last of Us is a critically acclaimed video game series developed by Naughty Dog, which explores themes of survival and humanity in a post-apocalyptic world. It gained widespread attention with its HBO series adaptation, further popularizing its narrative about a fungal infection devastating civilization. The series introduces players and viewers to a world where infected humans become hunters, raising questions about the boundaries between nature and humanity.