Real-Life Zombie Insects and the Fungus Behind Them Posted: March 12, 2025 | Last updated: March 12, 2025 Dive into the eerie world of nature’s real-life horror story a fungus that takes over ...

HBO's TV series "The Last of Us" shows a world ravaged by a "zombie ... fungus" that has the ability to infect and control people's minds. While human mind–controlling fungi do not yet exist in ...

The Cordyceps fungus is not only real, but it actually turns its ... a cocoon for its larvae Other parasites use zombies to build a better life for their family. Spiders are famously handy home ...

This has led many fans to wonder: could a zombie fungus like this ever infect people in real life? What Is Aspergillus and Why Is It Dangerous? Aspergillus is a mould found in soil, air ...

The reproductive structures of the Cordyceps fungus will soon burst out of the ant's head, spreading its spores to infect another unsuspecting host. In the real world, ants usually come into ...

Zombie ant fungus forces its hosts to leave the nest for the forest floor where the conditions are better for fungal growth. They attach themselves to a leaf, taking four to 10 days to die ...

With season 2 unfolding, the science of the fungal horror drama is becoming shakier. It is a pity that the creators haven’t thought about terrifying scenarios of real-life infection, says Corrado Nai ...

So, if the Last of Us does take a real-life zombie fungus for its inspiration, Massospora might make an even more terrifying choice. Luckily, there's no need to worry just yet about The Last of Us ...

But there are fungi in real life that do infect human brains ... Rex said his first step in fighting the fictional zombie fungus would be to grow it in a lab. He would then dissect and experiment ...