Zombie Fungus Fly in Amber Sparks Doomsday Fears, Movie Ideas
Inspired by real-life fungi that manipulate insects, the popular series “The Last of Us” depicts a fictional pandemic where a similar fungus infects humans. A recent discovery of a 99-million-year-old fly trapped in amber, infected by a parasitic fungus, provides one of the oldest examples of this phenomenon. This find reveals the long history of these mind-controlling parasites and helps scientists understand the evolution of such interactions. The amber-encased specimens may offer insights into whether these ancient fungi are related to those that infect modern insects.
John Q. Hosedrinker