The parasitic fungus, Cordyceps, joins the league of Zombie fascination. The Cordyceps Brain Infection is the determining factor of wiping out human civilization in Naughty Dog’s gameThe Last Of Us. The zombie fungus is back in the sequel,The Last Of Us Part II, which came out June 19th, 2020, seven years after the original.
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What makes a zombieapocalypseso fascinating? Well, with this particular one, the fact that the cause — Cordyceps — is a real-life zombie-making fungus is a significant factor. Cordyceps has been an inspiration to a few imaginations, creating new and exciting takes on the zombie apocalypse.
10Origin Story
In small print at the very start of the firstThe Last Of Usgame, Sarah picks up a newspaper displaying frantic messages about an increase in hospital attendance, a crazed murdering woman, and funky food warnings. The starting signs of the apocalypse. The Food and Drug Administration — FDA — was investigating crops imported from South America. This had then extended to Mexico and Central America. The vegetables had potentially contained mold, and vendors were warned against importing food. South America would have made a fascinating location to play in, as it was the pandemic’s origin.
9Humanity - The Real Threat
The Cordyceps Brain Infection — CBI — is a parasitic fungus that changed the world as we know it. 60% of the population was either killed or infected by it. The infection itself is known as Cerebral Cordyceps Infection. After being infected, humans transform into seven stages - if you include the after-death development, the fungus continues to grow, consuming the body mass to release spores — a circle of life. The parasitic fungus doesn’t affect animals, only humans. Naughty Dog is pointing out that humanity is the real threat and is meant to die in this game. Nature is taking back the world from humankind, allowing animals to thrive in abandoned cities, while lush forests are once again permitted to grow and flourish.
8Can The Real Cordyceps Please Stand Up?
The notion ofCordyceps was inspiredby a real-life fungus that infects and takes over the bodies of insects. This was seen in the episode ‘Jungles’ in the BBC seriesPlanet Earth, narrated by Sir David Attenborough.
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The episode takes a look at Ophiocordyceps Unilateralis — a fungus that attacks the nervous system of insects and arachnids. Not humans. While the fungus may possibly harm humans if we came into contact with it, it would not be a zombie turning incident.
7Cordyceps, Creating Zombie Ants Since Forever
So it’s real and actually takes over bodies? Well yes. But only insects and arachnids, and it’s been doing this for millions of years. It doesn’t affect reptiles, mammals, birds, or amphibians. And it only takes over their bodies, their brains remain their own, meaning they’re trapped, manipulated from the inside. Although the fungus does affect the nervous system, causing behavioral differences.The fungus uses insects as hosts to grow itself in multitude. Horrifying. Once it’s seated the inside, it pushes stems through the exoskeleton and creates a new mushroom to pulsate spores into the air, finding a new host.
6Ants As A Colony
Usually, with ants and other insects that are social creatures, if one is sick, they kick it out to protect the rest of the colony. It makes sense. If you have an infection, you isolate. This isn’t the case with Cordyceps. Here, the fungus follows the basic zombie story structure,a delay between infection and transformation — an incubation period. The ants act ‘normal’ without drawing suspicion from the rest of the colony. The infection is 100% lethal, but it only infects a collect few, to keep the population going. Future victims to ensure the cycle. Anyone can see why this parasitic fungus would attract the imagination of Naughty Dog creators.
5It Caught A Pokemon
Did you know that this infectious, parasitic fungus is even an inspiration for aPokémon? Yes, Paras and Parasect, the mushroomPokémon, were inspired by Cordyceps. Paras starts with two mushrooms on its back and evolves into Parasect, aPokémonwith a mushroom for a shell. Parasect’s name is even a combination of parasites and insects.
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Sure, Paras looks the part, with mushrooms protruding from its hard outer body, but even the Pokédex confirms the parallels. Both Paras and Parasect have a mushroom called Tochkaso growing on their back. Tochkaso is the Japanese name for Ophiocordyceps, also known as Cordyceps.
4The Last Of Us Movie
The Girl With All The Giftsis set in adystopiantime where a parasitic fungus has taken over. Sound familiar? It should. It is another instance where Cordyceps has been a source of inspiration, strikingly similar toThe Last Of Us. Written by M. R. Carey, the 2016 movie, based on the 2014 novel, features the breakdown of society after the fungal infection has taken out most of humanity. It focuses on a young girl, Melanie, one of the hybrid next-generation children being studied. Like the rest of the children, Melanie has special gifts and is being examined to determine how to beat the parasitic fungus.
3Why Can’t It Affect Humans?
There are a few reasons why it can’t attack humans. Firstly, itcan’t get through our skin. Also, humans have a very different immune system to insects. Humans have adaptive immunity meaning our defense system can’t be heated by fungal infections. Another reason why the Cordycepszombieparasitic fungus wouldn’t affect humans is blood circulation. Insects have a closed system, whereas humans have an open system. Plus, we have a whole bunch of anti-fungal medicine that helps.
2Cordyceps Magic Mushrooms
While humans might not be infected by Cordyceps, we still consume it — in Chinese medicine. Cordyceps Militarishelps with many things! It boosts physical performance, has anti-aging properties, supports kidney function, fights inflammation, calms asthma, and, apparently, it has potential anti-tumor effects.
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These supplements, however, shouldn’t be confused with Cordyceps Sinensis. For one, Cordyceps Sinensis costs$20,000 per kg. It became popularized in 1993 when used at the Chinese National Games in Beijing, helping boost players and shatter scores.
1Cordyceps Coffee To Go
Yes, Cordyceps mushrooms can even go into coffee. The Cordyceps mushroom blend adds an additional boost — aside from the caffeine - to your cells! Apparently, it’s a gradual notice meant to be taken regularly, helping to get over the afternoon hump. Although it’s not the deadly CBI, caution should be taken with this coffee blend asit’s not for everyone. It’s taken alongside instant coffee, blended together as you would take coffee with sugar. The taste has said to be slight, almost not noticeable. Lucky, as who would want mushroom tasting coffee?
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