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‘The Last of Us’ In Real Life: Cave Spiders Are Infected by Rare Fungus, Turn Into “Zombies” and Are Controlled. Check Out the Details of the New Fungus Similar to the Fictional Universe of The Last of Us.
At this point, many people have heard of the mysterious fungus of the genus Cordyceps, famous for its ability to infect ants and control them, turning them into true “zombies” of nature — a situation eerily similar to the universe of the series The Last of Us. But what few know is that Cordyceps is not alone in this bizarre behavior.
Researchers have identified another equally intriguing fungus that affects cave-dwelling spiders, drastically altering the behavior of these arachnids. Just as with the ants, the fungus invades the spider’s body, controls its nervous system, and forces it to climb to high or exposed places, facilitating the dispersion of spores for new infections.
This macabre phenomenon, worthy of science fiction, has sparked interest among scientists around the world, both for its ecological implications and for the potential to study how such simple organisms can manipulate the behavior of more complex beings.
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In this article, we will explore how this fungal infection works in cave spiders, which species are involved, where they have been found, and why these fungi represent yet another fascinating — and frightening — example of what nature is capable of doing.
Meet the Fungus Similar to The Last of Us
A team of researchers announced the discovery of a new species of fungus that they called Gibellula Attenboroughii and it may be the ‘The Last of Us’ in real life. This species is capable of taking control of the body of its victim, like cave spiders infected by rare fungus. It involves another type of arthropod: spiders of the species Metellina Merianae.
The modus operandi of this fungus similar to The Last of Us shows some similarities with species of cordyceps and ophiocordyceps that are popularly called zombie fungi, as they not only infect some insects but also take control of their bodies to make them move to places suitable for the dissemination of their spores.
That’s what the fungus of ‘The Last of Us’ in real life does: it forces the cave spiders infected by rare fungus to leave their hiding place and go to the more open parts of the cave that they usually inhabit, whether on the walls, in the vault, or the ceiling of the cave. Once there, the fungus similar to The Last of Us can establish itself and spread its spores, disseminated through the cave’s currents until they reach new spider species.
Cave Spiders Infected by Rare Fungus Are Found in Ireland
The new fungus similar to The Last of Us was found during the filming of a documentary for the British BBC in a cave located in Northern Ireland. The film crew stumbled upon one of the cave spiders infected by rare fungus of ‘The Last of Us’ in real life, but initially, it was unclear to which species either the spider or the parasite belonged.
After the first discovery in 2021, successive specimens of infected spiders were found in other caves in Ireland, making it possible to first identify the species of infected spiders and then, after morphological and molecular studies, catalog the new species of fungi. The discovery was made public through an article in the journal Fungal Systematics and Evolution.
New Fungus Joins a Huge List
The new species joins a long list that has little to do with zombies: that of species named in honor of the British biologist and broadcaster David Attenborough.
The list is extensive and includes mammals, insects, birds, and fish, among others. It also encompasses both living and extinct species, as well as others belonging to different kingdoms of life, like the newly discovered fungus that may bring ‘The Last of Us’ into real life.
Speaking of the series/games, it is important to mention that although it is fictional, it is not entirely disconnected from reality, since the fungus exists; the difference is that in real life it only manages to infect ants and other insects, excluding the danger of a potential lethal pandemic from this fungus.
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