Could Fungus Cause a Zombie Apocalypse? Mycology Expert Weighs in on if 'The Last of Us' Could Become Reality

“The Last of Us” is a huge hit on HBO Max, with more than 10 million people streaming the show in just two days. It's the story of survivors of a post-apocalyptic plague trying to find the cure for a fungus that has nearly decimated the entire human race.

Though the show is fictional, “The Last of Us” is inspired by real science, and some wonder if a fungus leading to a zombie apocalypse could become a reality.

“Well, in the insect world, it certainly is (real),” Matt Kasson, an associate professor of mycology at West Virginia University, tells Inside Edition.

“Ants have a fungus that does this,” he says. “Cicadas have a fungus that does this.”

The fungus invades the brains of the insects and turns them into zombies that do the bidding of its host.

“It’s a puppet master that’s pulling the strings of its insect host,” Kasson says of the fungus. “It’s been happening below our feet, in our gardens for a long time.”

So, how worried should we be about this happening to us?

Kasson says on a scale of 1 to 10, our concerns should rank at around 1 or 2.

The third episode of “The Last of Us” premieres on Sunday on HBO Max.

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