California wildfires could make 'The Last of Us' a REALITY: Scientists warn blazes could spread deadly fungal spores beyond their natural habitats - and say they could infect humans
California wildfires could make 'The Last of Us' a REALITY: Scientists warn blazes could spread deadly fungal spores beyond their natural habitats - and say they could infect humans
Share:
Even in the world of video games and television, a zombie plague carried by a deadly fungus sounds almost too far-fetched. But as HBO finally confirms the release date of The Last of Us season two, scientists say the show's terrifying premise could soon be a reality.
![[Wildfires like those which burned through LA this week spread fungal spores even further by sweeping them up in clouds of smoke. As climate change makes these events more likely fungal infections could become more of a problem]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/01/10/17/93964001-14270537-Wildfires_like_those_which_burned_through_LA_this_week_spread_fu-a-34_1736528536453.jpg)
Although there are no mushrooms capable of turning you into a zombie, experts are increasingly concerned that fungi could trigger the next pandemic. And scientists say that the disasters like the California wildfires could be to blame. As the climate around us grows warmer, fungi are rapidly adapting to hotter temperatures, which could allow them to thrive in our blood, lungs, and brains.
![[Last year, wildfires in Canada carried smoke down the East Coast, enveloping New York in a hazy smog. Fungal spores can hitch a ride on these smoke clouds to travel vast distances and make their way into people's lungs]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/01/10/17/93967281-14270537-image-a-36_1736528579054.jpg)
Already, scientists have discovered deadly fungi that are capable of spreading from person to person just like in The Last of Us. And as extreme weather makes wildfires more likely, scientists say that deadly spores could be spread across the country in clouds of smoke.
![[Last year was officially the hottest on record. As the planet warms, fungi are rapidly adapting to their new environment and becoming more deadly in the process. Pictured: Yearly average temperatures difference from the pre-industrial average during 2024]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/01/10/17/93910547-14270537-Last_year_was_officially_the_hottest_on_record_As_the_planet_war-a-37_1736528595110.jpg)
Dr Martin Hoenigl, an expert on fungal pathogens from the Medical University of Graz, told MailOnline: 'Generally speaking, there is definitely a possibility that fungi may cause a pandemic.'. As HBO reveals the release date of The Last of Us season two, scientists say that the fungal plague featured in the show could become a reality. Pictured, a human infected by a zombie fungus in the show.
![[In the video game adaptation, the world is destroyed by a fungal infection which turns people into zombies. This might seem far-fetched, but fungal infections are now on the rise around the world. Pictured, Bella Ramsey in The Last of Us]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/01/10/17/84914727-14270537-In_the_video_game_adaptation_the_world_is_destroyed_by_a_fungal_-m-74_1736529551316.jpg)
-0-15-screenshot-xl.jpg)
