When The Last of Us first appeared on screens, it wasn't only the story that had viewers in its clutches — it was the ...

HBO’s The Last of Us might be a dystopian thrill ride, but how real is its core concept that a fungus could hijack the human ...

The series is inspired by a real fungus, Ophiocordyceps unilateralis, known as the "zombie-ant fungus," which takes over the bodies and brains of ants in the wild. Scientists warn that a fatal ...

In reality, "zombie-ant fungus" or Ophiocordyceps unilateralis, is a parasitic fungus that infects and manipulates the behavior of carpenter ants, ultimately leading to their death. Dr. Jim ...

In Ophiocordyceps-infected ants, one of the first signs that the fungus is taking control is a sudden burst of movement. At the same time, the ants are beset by a series of sudden spasms so ...

Ophiocordyceps sinensis (Berk.), also known as the Chinese caterpillar fungus, is a revered traditional medicine with a rich history of use in Chinese culture for over 700 years. Endemic to the ...

The fungus that zombifies humanity in the show is based on Ophiocordyceps, a real fungal group that infects ants, takes over their brains and bodies, and turns them into spore factories. But this ...