Based on the video game franchise of the same name, the post-apocalyptic series has gripped viewers across the world ever since its launch a few weeks ago.
It follows a smuggler named Joel (Pedro Pascal) and a teenage girl called Ellie (Bella Ramsey) who must travel across a country almost destroyed by infected people who’ve essentially become monsters.
The pandemic they survive spurns from a fungal infection called Cordyceps, which breaks out in 2003 in the fictional story.
Although this infection has a detrimental effect on the world in the tale, mycologist Paul Stamets has addressed any alarm by stressing that Cordyceps ‘cannot infect humans’ in real life.
In a Twitter thread, he applauded the show for ‘seeing this opportunity to take us on a literary adventure into the realm of sci-fi while exploiting the public’s fascination, fear, and joy of fungi’.
He went on to add: ‘In reality, fungi offer us today some of the best solutions that are needed for solving many of the existential threats that we face.
‘In fact, Cordyceps-like fungi could replace the majority of chemical pesticides with an ecologically rational and economically scalable solution.’
The biologist then joked that: ‘Breaking news: they are everywhere, all the time, and you live with them 24/7. These very fungi exist under every footstep that you take.’
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web
browser that
supports HTML5
video
Stamet’s explanation comes after Ian Will, a fungal geneticist at the University of Central Florida, told National Geographic that while the ‘logical links are there’ in The Last of Us of the fungi being able to infect humans one day, ‘it’s not likely to happen in real life.’
The first episode of The Last of Us opened with an epidemiologist called Dr Neuman (John Hannah) hypothesising in the 1960s over the threat a fungal infection could cause to the human population.
The second episode saw Christine Hakim join the cast as Dr Ibu Ratna, a mycology professor who stresses just how dire the situation was when she learnt that Cordyceps was spreading among the human population.
The Last of Us is available to watch on Sky and NOW, with new episodes released on Mondays.
Got a story?
If you’ve got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the Metro.co.uk entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@metro.co.uk, calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we’d love to hear from you.
MORE : The Last of Us fans claim Nick Offerman is ‘exception’ to straight actors playing gay roles: ‘He changed my mind’
MORE : Streams of Linda Ronstadt’s song Long, Long Time soar by almost 5,000% in US after The Last of Us episode 3 leaves viewers in tears
Stay connected with us on social media platform for instant update click here to join our Twitter, & Facebook
We are now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@TechiUpdate) and stay updated with the latest Technology headlines.
For all the latest Entertainment News Click Here
