Real-life ‘Last of Us’ zombie fungus discovered — and it may have lived alongside dinosaurs
Parasitic fungi have been with us since at least the Cretaceous period zombifying insects according to a new study of fossils found in amber.
Ophiocordyceps has been made famous by the HBO television series ‘The Last of Us’ based on a videogame by the same name. These fungi infect and then hijack their unsuspecting host to ensure that their spores have the best chance of finding a new one.
New research has discovered two previously unknown species of this zombie fungi thanks to a couple serendipitous events some 99 million years ago. Trapped inside two separate pieces of amber, fossilized tree sap, were two victims of Ophiocordyceps.
99-million-year-old ‘Last of Us’ zombie fungi discovered
Digging through samples stored in the basement of his lab at Yunnan University in China, paleontologist Yuhui Zhuang came across a piece of amber with a fossilize ant pupa inside that caught his attention. At first he thought that the protrusions from the creature’s back were wings forming.
However, using 3-D imaging it became clear that it was something far more interesting and gruesome. It was a fugus that was growing from where it had burst out of the insect.
Further investigation turned up another piece of amber that contained the same grizzly scene. However, this time it was a fly that had fallen victim to a different species of Ophiocordyceps.
Both fossils are roughly the same age and date back to the Cretaceous period. In the case of the ant pupa, is shows that “zombie-ant fungi” have been preying on ants twice as long as previously thought.
“The discovery of these two fossils suggests that terrestrial ecosystems were already very complex, and that Ophiocordyceps, in particular, may have begun to act as “predators” of insects in the Cretaceous period, regulating the populations of certain groups,” Zhuang told CNN.
Get your game on! Whether you’re into NFL touchdowns, NBA buzzer-beaters, world-class soccer goals, or MLB home runs, our app has it all.
Dive into live coverage, expert insights, breaking news, exclusive videos, and more – plus, stay updated on the latest in current affairs and entertainment.Download now for all-access coverage, right at your fingertips – anytime, anywhere.