In the hit HBO show “The Last Of Us,” nearly the entire human population gets infected by a contagious fungus that controls people’s minds and turns them into zombies.
The story is loosely based off of a real fungus in nature — the cordyceps or “zombie-ant fungus” — but the showrunners took a lot of creative liberties.
But when it comes to fungi, there’s a lot more to be thankful for than afraid of, says Giuliana Furci, a mycologist and founder of the Fungi Foundation. “Fungal fact is way more impressive than fungal fiction,” Furci says.
On the latest episode of Seeking a Scientist, Dr. Kate Biberdorf (aka Kate the Chemist) explores this secret world — and how it impacts nearly everything around us.