Zombie Fungus

"Will a fungus turn us all into zombies?"

Ophiocordyceps unilateralis is a parasitic fungus that infects ants, commandeering their bodies and feeding on them. After the ants die, the fungus grows a fruiting body that releases spores, perpetuating the cycle. Some conspiracy theorists worry that this fungus could similarly infect humans, as depicted in the post-apocalyptic video game The Last of Us, turning people into aggressive mutants and leaving the world in ruins. However, this fungus has specialized in ants for 48 million years. For it to adapt to human hosts would require a lengthy evolutionary process, making such a scenario highly unlikely – except in video games and horror films.