10 Things You Didn’t Know About The Last Of Us
7. Cordyceps Is A Real-Life Disease
Exclusive to insects alone, the Cordyceps fungus is absolutely real and just as terrifying as the game depicts. Insect colonies have learnt how to deal with the disease, though, with many disposing of the infected entities quickly, before damage can be done.
Showcased on the BBC’s
Planet Earth, there are many different types of Cordyceps, each targeting a
different species of insect. The airborne disease takes over the brain and
body of the insect, causing it to reach higher ground, paralysing the host as it develops. Here, it will begin to grow chutes or mushrooms, which will eventually
erupt with spores.
The Last Of Us’ infected were given an added degree of mobility and ferocity but ultimately, the idea of their infection is rooted in reality. From a bite or inhalation of spores, evolving into a runner and eventually, after years, transforming into a faceless clicker or tank-like bloater.
Luckily for us, Cordyceps is solely insect-based and although it can wipe out an entire colony if not dealt with, a world like The Last Of Us is imaginative at best.