It’s a whole episode about the biology of The Last of Us in an attempt to tap into the zeitgeist! What’s the deal with Cordyceps? Could this happen in real life? Are we doing SEO right??

*Originally scheduled for release BEFORE the start of our whole March Madness series

EPISODE LINKS

All-purpose show links: https://superduperstitious.com/links

Four Phantoms: https://www.fourphantoms.net/

FILL OUT YOUR MARCH MADNESS BRACKET HERE: https://superduperstitious.com/march-madness

Sources

Basic fungal biology: http://bit.ly/3ZRi4ie

Cordyceps controlling a cicada: https://youtu.be/FAVAVHAptyQ

Cordyceps controlling a beetle: https://youtu.be/EBQNpyAdmfc

Entomophthora muscae example: https://www.flickr.com/photos/anxoresua/6867594070

Entomophthora muscae and its released spores: https://bit.ly/3EV6pXJ

Entomophthora muscae range map: https://www.discoverlife.org/mp/20m?kind=Entomophthora+muscae

Snail with nematode parasite (PRETTY GROSS): https://youtu.be/Go_LIz7kTok

Parasitic barnacle: https://youtu.be/sCvTHrzI-Sk

Body temperature vs. fungi: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19827944/

Climate change is selecting for heat-resistant fungi: https://journals.asm.org/doi/full/10.1128/mBio.00061-10

Climate change is increasing fungal infections: https://www.wired.com/story/fungi-climate-change-medicine-health/

Not a lot of medical solutions: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6549129/

We breathe a lot of spores and it’s okay: http://bit.ly/3JusTkR

Most fungi aren’t infectious: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5453709/

No spores for the show: http://polygon.com/entertainment/23562421/last-of-us-cordyceps-spores-tv-show-hbo

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