With The Last of Us sending shivers down the spines of viewers over the threat of a fungal infection that turns into a pandemic, an expert has sought to reassure people we don’t have to worry too much.
Based on the video game franchise of the same name, the post-apocalyptic series has gripped viewers across the world ever since its launch a few weeks ago.
It follows a smuggler named Joel (Pedro Pascal) and a teenage girl called Ellie (Bella Ramsey) who must travel across a country almost destroyed by infected people who’ve essentially become monsters.
The pandemic they survive spurns from a fungal infection called Cordyceps, which breaks out in 2003 in the fictional story.
Although this infection has a detrimental effect on the world in the tale, mycologist Paul Stamets has addressed any alarm by stressing that Cordyceps ‘cannot infect humans’ in real life.
In a Twitter thread, he applauded the show for ‘seeing this opportunity to take us on a literary adventure into the realm of sci-fi while exploiting the public’s fascination, fear, and joy of fungi’.
He went on to add: ‘In reality, fungi offer us today some of the best solutions that are needed for solving many of the existential threats that we face.
‘In fact, Cordyceps-like fungi could replace the majority of chemical pesticides with an ecologically rational and economically scalable solution.’
The biologist then joked that: ‘Breaking news: they are everywhere, all the time, and you live with them 24/7. These very fungi exist under every footstep that you take.’
It’s likely fans will be a little less stressed now after plenty said they had a new and unexpected fear of fungus.
Stamet’s explanation comes after Ian Will, a fungal geneticist at the University of Central Florida, told National Geographic that while the ‘logical links are there’ in The Last of Us of the fungi being able to infect humans one day, ‘it’s not likely to happen in real life.’
The first episode of The Last of Us opened with an epidemiologist called Dr Neuman (John Hannah) hypothesising in the 1960s over the threat a fungal infection could cause to the human population.
The second episode saw Christine Hakim join the cast as Dr Ibu Ratna, a mycology professor who stresses just how dire the situation was when she learnt that Cordyceps was spreading among the human population.
Hot Property Picks from Metro
Bed in conservatory listed as 'studio flat' to rent for £1,200 per month
We bought an uninhabited island for £24,000 — it was a lot cheaper than a house deposit
London’s ‘secret’ village with ‘stunning views’ named one of UK’s best to live in
The former owners of my house asked to look inside 30 years on — my answer shocked them
Nuclear bunker with Renaissance-style interiors could be yours for £15,000
The Last of Us is available to watch on Sky and NOW, with new episodes released on Mondays.
Got a story?
If you’ve got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the Metro.co.uk entertainment team by emailing us [email protected], calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we’d love to hear from you.
Share this with