The zombie mushroom from “The Last of Us” is real. His cousin is growing in Poland

The hit series “The Last of Us” is an adaptation of the popular game of the same title. The production, starring Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey, known from “Game of Thrones”, has already been hailed as the best adaptation of the game and collects great reviews: critics praise the acting, attention to detail, as well as faithfulness to the original and ambitious development of threads omitted in the the game’s story. Recall, the action “” takes place in a post-apocalyptic world ravaged by an epidemic of a disease caused by a fungus that turns people into mindless and aggressive zombies.

The cousin of the mushroom from “The Last of Us” is growing in Poland

Civilization is collapsing, and the few survivors live either in closed quarantine zones controlled by a totalitarian government, or are outlaw nomads who are constantly struggling to survive. Some manage to organize their own enclaves, but they are threatened by zombies and armed poachers. The main character of the series is the smuggler Joel (), who receives an unusual assignment from a group of rebels. He is supposed to smuggle 14-year-old Ellie (Bella Ramsey) from a closed camp to an opposition group facility several hundred kilometers away – because she may be a key element leading to the invention of a vaccine for a deadly fungus.

The fall of civilization in the world of “The Last of Us” was caused by a really existing mushroom of the genus Ophiocordyceps. In Polish it is called maczużniczka. In nature, it occurs mainly in southern Asia, and its hosts are always invertebrates such as ants, wasps and spiders. When the spores enter the insect’s body, the mycelium gradually grows and replaces the tissues it has attacked. Eventually, it produces a fruiting body with more spores, which it spreads further. Meanwhile, the host slowly dies and becomes a helpless incubator of the parasitic fungus.

The Baligród Forest Inspectorate noticed the increased interest in the zombie mushroom and hastened to inform you that a similar mushroom can be found in Poland:

In Poland we will meet his no less interesting cousin. Ophiocordyceps ditmarii parasitizes Hymenoptera – it infects, develops in the victim’s body, and after its death grows (e.g. from the head) to release spores.

Let’s calm down those who are worried – it’s very difficult to come across it. “This is a relatively rare fungus, small, not found on a specific substrate, such as mycorrhizal, saprotrophic or parasitic fungi associated with plants – and where the wasp will sit is hard to predict” – explain the State Forests on their profile.

What else do we know about this mushroom? It needs the right temperature, humidity and distance from the soil to grow. The infected ant, under the influence of the fungus, changes its response to pheromones and leaves its anthill. Controlled by the parasite, it climbs a tree, attaches its mandible to go and then dies. Then the fungus grows out of her body and releases its spores from a special stalk. These are spread by the wind, and more ants fall victim to the infection. The researchers also determined that the fungus does not control the ant’s brain, but rather takes control of the leg and jaw muscles.

We would also like to remind you that mycologist Marta Wrzosek reassured that the Cordyceps mushrooms do not pose a threat to humans, and the series itself combines scientific facts quite freely.

When is the next episode of The Last of Us?

The premiere of the first in Poland took place on Monday, January 16. On the air of the HBO channel, viewers could watch it at 20.10, and people using the HBO Max platform could do it from the morning. The next episodes are broadcast according to the same pattern: the episode goes to the VOD website at night, and in the evening it is broadcast on TV. The first season consists of nine episodes. Although there are no official confirmations yet, based on how popular the production is, it can be assumed that another season will be created.