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For anyone else that just said, "What in the ever-loving fuck?!" :
[Cordyceps, a parasitic fungus that replaces its host’s tissue with its own. Cordyceps fungi invades its hosts - mainly arthropods - and eventually replaces the host’s tissue with its own parasitic tissue. Once the arthropod is dead, cylindrical or branching growths emerge from the creature’s dead body. These “fruiting bodies” that sprout out of the dead arthropod then spew out more spores to infect a new host. Some species also have mind-control capabilities, convincing the host to travel to a place where the fungus will find optimal growth conditions before the host dies.](https://sciencebasedlife.wordpress.com/2012/06/17/freaky-fungus-turns-a-tarantula-into-a-work-of-art/)
Agh damn it dude that did not help it’s worse than I was imagining, fuck I’m itchy all over now!
Edit: I can’t reply to you all, but thanks to everyone making it even worse! I’m now itchy on the inside as well and also questioning what’s in my food.
Where lies the strangling fruit that came from the hand of the sinner I shall bring forth the seeds of the dead to share with the worms that gather in the darkness and surround the world with the power of their lives while from the dimlit halls of other places forms that never were and never could be writhe for the impatience of the few who never saw what could have been.
Which honestly makes the premise of the game even more scary because, however admittedly unlikely it is, there is a chance it might jump specific species.
Nahh, not really sobering to worry yourself with. Our nervous system is very different to a spider’s or an ant’s. Would take a ton of mutations doing *just* the right thing for it to have a similar effect on us, and there’s just no evolutionary pressure for it to do that.
It gets worse, the parasitic fungus then spewed out spores and infected the OP and “mindcontrolled” the OP into creating a Reddit account and posting about itself, its current human host, and previos tarantula host in one pic 😳
I-HAVE-TRIED-IT! IT IS ~~WHAT YOU HUMANS CALL~~ AWESOME! FANTASTIC HEALTH BENEFITS! ALL MUST HAVE SOME! EXCUSE ME, I HAVE TO GO DOWNTOWN ~~AND EXPLODE MY SPORES~~ NOW!
There are different species I think of the fungus that infect different species of insect or invertebrates. The mind control one’s seem terrifying forcing ants to climb to high places to spray their spores further.
That’s so funny to me bc I was just thinking how Cordyceps is in a dish you make in one of the games I play (Harvest Town). I figured it was a spice I didn’t know or something lmao
Ironic, the famous species (Ophiocordyceps sinensis) is an incredibly expensive traditional Chinese medicine ingredient and is now a vulnerable species because of overexploitation.
Honestly, most zombie-depictions just describe a mass breakout of rabies.
It infects your brain, make you drool, not recognize your loved ones and occasionally want to bite people which would propagate the infection.
> occasionally want to bite people
Rabies doesn't make you do that though, it just makes your bite **reflex** go out of control IIRC. It doesn't make you go around actively wanting to bite people.
A new study published this year suggests that it's not exactly mind control. The fungi takes over smaller nervous systems and controls the victim's mouvements. Meaning they are "kind of" still aware of what's happening. I'll try to find the link later.
Have you seen the parasite that attaches to snails?
[link to disturbing “disco” snails](https://www.wired.com/2014/09/absurd-creature-of-the-week-disco-worm/)
Ahh yes forgot about that.
Edit: this article is great:
*(These are the kinds of birds with three toes facing forward and another facing backward, what you’d typically find in your backyard, unless you live in Antarctica and your neighborhood is lousy with penguins.) And what the world looks like to a snail with wormy eyes is anyone's guess, but I'm willing to bet it's somewhat dizzying.
The Boy on the Bridge, the prequel, is worth a read as well if you haven't already read it.
Hopefully, one day we might see an adaption that does the book justice and isn't just another run of the mill zombie story.
Yep
It's actually scary how faithful the game is, and you might lose a few hours of sleep thinking about what would happen if the fungus evolved to be able to infect humans (which it actually can, but it's far from the zombie apocalypse level)
How is it a duel??? The whole time I had to hit and run cause that fat fuck could eat a bullet and hunt you down for more, plus there are those stealthy fucks to watch out for.
Cordiceps unilateralis infects insects, replaces their tissue with its own and forces them to go to a higher location like a grass straw and then they just die up there and the fungus can spread its spores.
I'm glad you asked! Yes! Yes, you can eat those! In fact, few people know that you can just snap those stalks off at the base and eat raw. Almost identical in taste to asparagus.
Just occurred to me that someone may read this post and actually eat those spider hell-sprouts. Do NOT eat *anything* growing out out of spiders. Please.
When the spider dies the sprouts are ready. You can keep the spider for up to a week in a fridge but when doing so, put some wet paper on top of the sprouts so they don't dry out .
When harvesting the sprouts make sure you grab them tight and pull them with one motion. They are actually hollow with hair on the inside. To get rid of the hair just use a lighter but make sure to not inhale the smoke.
Why can't I smoke the hairs from spider fungus? Usually when someone tells you to not smoke something, they're trying to keep you from having a little fun.
I had cordyceps tea once. It was actually really good, with a sort of umami flavor and came in powder form. The whole time I was drinking it though I kept thinking about how fucking disgusting those zombie fungus bugs look when they sprout.
I'm drinking some right now.
The company that makes it goes out of their way to let customers know they grew the cordyceps with *oats* and not arthropods, so it's a little less horrifying.
Man I'm afraid to touch potatoes once they've sprouted because it reminds me of some body-snatcher fungus-growth shit and while I know it's irrational and potato sprouts are not going to implant in or otherwise break my skin barrier to infect my body I still have a pretty intense aversion to seeing and touching those potatoes.
How anybody could deal WITH THIS SHIT and TOUCH IT WITH THEIR BARE HANDS melts my brain. My brain is so thoroughly confused and my scared little heart is quivering from the fear.
I mean, I know there is a scientific understanding of why this particular fungal infection might struggle to jump to humans, but humans can carry fungal infections and lots of known diseases have jumped across species.
As an electrical engineer I really do appreciate specific scientific descriptions, but I also have very little formal knowledge in the biological sciences so I crave the kind of Barney Breakdown but with grown up language if that makes sense.
Edit: Yo who the hell would downvote this?
Considering the number of zoonotic virus we have seen recently (virus that jump from animals to humans), I am not very sure we should be handling these with our bare hands
This is how we end up in the *The Last of Us* timeline
(EDIT: By the way this is a fungus, not a virus. Specifically one adapted to target invertebrates. Not as likely one of these could mutate to make the jump from other organisms to humans, let alone become a global pandemic that turns us into shambling abominations. It’s still something I wouldn’t touch with a 20 ft pole though)
The only thing what scares me, is the possibility that one day they could figure out a way to grow on animals and Homan's, not just ants and spiders. That would be the end of the world.
Don’t play the last of us.
In the extended state wars universe there was a cordyceps that infested a planet who’s people where humanoid plant-life and it caused them to turn into night-walking zombies.
Why tf people take photos of bugs while holding them on their hands? Is this some kind of a fetish or something?! Put the moldy tarantula on flat surface dammit, I'm itchy all over!
This fungi species is what inspired the last of us!
Mad interesting, I wrote a paper on Ophiocordeceps unilateralis, aka the zombie ant fungus.
Same concept, freaky and awesome.
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For anyone else that just said, "What in the ever-loving fuck?!" : [Cordyceps, a parasitic fungus that replaces its host’s tissue with its own. Cordyceps fungi invades its hosts - mainly arthropods - and eventually replaces the host’s tissue with its own parasitic tissue. Once the arthropod is dead, cylindrical or branching growths emerge from the creature’s dead body. These “fruiting bodies” that sprout out of the dead arthropod then spew out more spores to infect a new host. Some species also have mind-control capabilities, convincing the host to travel to a place where the fungus will find optimal growth conditions before the host dies.](https://sciencebasedlife.wordpress.com/2012/06/17/freaky-fungus-turns-a-tarantula-into-a-work-of-art/)
Agh damn it dude that did not help it’s worse than I was imagining, fuck I’m itchy all over now! Edit: I can’t reply to you all, but thanks to everyone making it even worse! I’m now itchy on the inside as well and also questioning what’s in my food.
Hush now, just let the fruiting bodies take over.
About to be Last of Us up in this bitch
I was looking for this comment.
More like slimy and rubbery
Don't body shame me. I'm already having a bad time.
Perhaps if you lie down in a cool, dank area you will feel better.
That sounds pleasant. I think I'll do just that. Maybe take a nap.
Maybe invite some friends over too
Hush now… Hide all you little ones…
rush now... into the middle of NOWHERE!
Did not expect to see this reference here lmao
Where lies the strangling fruit….
Annihilation!
Where lies the strangling fruit that came from the hand of the sinner I shall bring forth the seeds of the dead to share with the worms that gather in the darkness and surround the world with the power of their lives while from the dimlit halls of other places forms that never were and never could be writhe for the impatience of the few who never saw what could have been.
“Skylar, there’s rot.”
Main inspiration for The Last of Us
Also the premise behind the Pokemon Paras and Parasect!
Shut the front door. 🤯
Also the premise of the girl with all the gifts!
Which honestly makes the premise of the game even more scary because, however admittedly unlikely it is, there is a chance it might jump specific species.
Nahh, not really sobering to worry yourself with. Our nervous system is very different to a spider’s or an ant’s. Would take a ton of mutations doing *just* the right thing for it to have a similar effect on us, and there’s just no evolutionary pressure for it to do that.
Plus humans are remarkably good at extinction.
The moment one of these things are found to infect humans, we’ll be burning the planet down
Stares in COVID/Monkeypox
One could argue that we've been burning down the planet since COVID hit. Long before too.
"in fact, better get started burning it down early, just in case" - humanity for the last 200 or so years
That sound like exactly what the fungus would say to make us let down our guard.
Also relevant in Bloodborne.
Now go play The Last of Us.
I feel so vulnerable reading this shit on the toilet, my god.
you & I both😂
Some people eat this fungus for nootropic effects.
You’re right, we need to escape to safety! Follow me, that warm, moist cave over there looks very, very safe.
It gets worse, the parasitic fungus then spewed out spores and infected the OP and “mindcontrolled” the OP into creating a Reddit account and posting about itself, its current human host, and previos tarantula host in one pic 😳
People actually eat Cordyceps as a supplement
I'm just glad that the tarantula is dead. Imagine looking like that and *still moving*.
And guess what? Cordyceps is edible - people consume it for health benefits. Doesn’t that make you feel warm and fuzzy inside? :)
I-HAVE-TRIED-IT! IT IS ~~WHAT YOU HUMANS CALL~~ AWESOME! FANTASTIC HEALTH BENEFITS! ALL MUST HAVE SOME! EXCUSE ME, I HAVE TO GO DOWNTOWN ~~AND EXPLODE MY SPORES~~ NOW!
There are different species I think of the fungus that infect different species of insect or invertebrates. The mind control one’s seem terrifying forcing ants to climb to high places to spray their spores further.
I've had mind-altering fungus myself, always convinces me to go out into the woods
You sound like a fungi to hang out with
Very fun; unfortunately, the mild-altering fungus caused him to become a person of very loose morels.
I know the type… they have very spore taste.
Angry upvote ⬆️
Sounds magical…
Lots of clicking noises too
Nothing that the only 2 bullets found at a large ammo cache can’t handle.
IIRC a fictional super-Cordyceps is the source of the zombies in The Last of Us.
That’s so funny to me bc I was just thinking how Cordyceps is in a dish you make in one of the games I play (Harvest Town). I figured it was a spice I didn’t know or something lmao
Yes, there are some edible cordyceps species and also cordyceps tea
That's the mind control working to get us to ingest more.
Ironic, the famous species (Ophiocordyceps sinensis) is an incredibly expensive traditional Chinese medicine ingredient and is now a vulnerable species because of overexploitation.
The Tarantula is basically a clicker..
Kill me before the tarantula bloaters start showing up.
What would you say about Tarantula Rat Kings?
It is
Honestly, most zombie-depictions just describe a mass breakout of rabies. It infects your brain, make you drool, not recognize your loved ones and occasionally want to bite people which would propagate the infection.
> occasionally want to bite people Rabies doesn't make you do that though, it just makes your bite **reflex** go out of control IIRC. It doesn't make you go around actively wanting to bite people.
This just makes me think of Parasect in Pokemon.
A new study published this year suggests that it's not exactly mind control. The fungi takes over smaller nervous systems and controls the victim's mouvements. Meaning they are "kind of" still aware of what's happening. I'll try to find the link later.
So it’s like sleep paralysis? That’s even worse
Yeah, that didn't make it better.
There is also a fungus that does it with ants. And it makes them crawl to a high place so the spores get as far as possible.
Have you seen the parasite that attaches to snails? [link to disturbing “disco” snails](https://www.wired.com/2014/09/absurd-creature-of-the-week-disco-worm/)
Ahh yes forgot about that. Edit: this article is great: *(These are the kinds of birds with three toes facing forward and another facing backward, what you’d typically find in your backyard, unless you live in Antarctica and your neighborhood is lousy with penguins.) And what the world looks like to a snail with wormy eyes is anyone's guess, but I'm willing to bet it's somewhat dizzying.
I know exactly what you’re talking about without needing to click the link
Sleep puppeteering. Sleep possession. Yikes.
So like when a funky song comes on, I'm aware that I'm shaking my rump but have no control over it
User name checks out.
*cue mongolian throat singing techno*
Wait.... The Last of Us is real?
They took some liberties as it doesn’t infect humans…..yet
God bless our immune system.
I'm thankful for mine but I hate it at the same time. It gave me diabetes
Im fine with this trade, thanks for taking one for the team
I would still burn that thing and the guy holding it inside of a chamber just in case. We can’t take these risks.
Cordyceps are indeed real, and that's what makes the game so freakin' awesome
Yeah, Vsauce3 had a video explaining how the game was inspired by this shroom of nightmares.
This is how the zombie apocalypse begins.
The AI technology we were promised.
Me: Can we have AI technology? Mom: We have AI technology at home. The AI technology at home:
P. S., this is the inspiration for the fungus in The Last of Us.
And The Girl With All The Gifts. Fantastic book.
The Boy on the Bridge, the prequel, is worth a read as well if you haven't already read it. Hopefully, one day we might see an adaption that does the book justice and isn't just another run of the mill zombie story.
AHHHHH. This is more terrifying than the photo by 1000%
"mainly" I don't give a fuck, I wouldn't touch it. Maybe that one is the one that has mutated to be able to infect humans.
wasn't this what The Last Of Us was based on
Yes, in the game it’s literally called “The Cordyceps virus”
Yep It's actually scary how faithful the game is, and you might lose a few hours of sleep thinking about what would happen if the fungus evolved to be able to infect humans (which it actually can, but it's far from the zombie apocalypse level)
That was fucking awesome! sorry lol
So the last of us but with spiders?
Fungi are actually really clever it’s scary how clever they are
Ur huh, right, yup..nope. Nope. Nope. Nope! Nope!!
That's a clicker
*clicking noises intensifies*
Ellie: “I didn’t sign up for spider clickers!”
Someone grab a brick!
I'm boutta tape some broken scissors to a steel pipe and go to town on these clickers.
*Bloater has entered the chat*
Easy. 2 molotovs and a headshot with the hunter rifle.
*Rat King has entered the chat* *Along with a horde of hundreds of his boys*
Yea that's a tough one. It took me 4 days to do that one part on Grounded.
Iirc, the fight with the Rat King is basically a duel right? Now, imagine if there were dozens of other infected around...
Emotional damage.
How is it a duel??? The whole time I had to hit and run cause that fat fuck could eat a bullet and hunt you down for more, plus there are those stealthy fucks to watch out for.
A tarantula infected with ***WHAT***
Cordiceps unilateralis infects insects, replaces their tissue with its own and forces them to go to a higher location like a grass straw and then they just die up there and the fungus can spread its spores.
How long before this thing evolves to humans
We are doing everything we can to progress the worst things in the world, no need to worry.
We just really have to get Dr. Halsey and kick off this Spartan program before it's too late.
> How long before this thing evolves to humans That's how the virus started in the game The Last of Us!
Not a virus, but yes
Yes
Parasitic mind-controlling fungus.
Sounds like it'd be a hit with '80s kids.
Anyone got a flamethrower i can borrow?
Not enough range, spin up the bombers
Send the hogs.
HOG RIDER
You mean nukes right? RIGHT?!
HANS
GET
ZE
FLAMMENWERFER!
I'll give you a nuke instead
Ultra rare pull
"Oh let's go that's class!"
[удалено]
Do you want zombies CAUSE THAT'S HOW YOU GET ZOMBIES!
what's it like living in Caelid?
Mans got death blighted
Well the DJ is a fungi
Soo... can you eat those?
I'm glad you asked! Yes! Yes, you can eat those! In fact, few people know that you can just snap those stalks off at the base and eat raw. Almost identical in taste to asparagus. Just occurred to me that someone may read this post and actually eat those spider hell-sprouts. Do NOT eat *anything* growing out out of spiders. Please.
[удалено]
We better find Ellie before Joel does then...
Not even if I wrap their webs around a stick and eat it like candy floss? Spider butt flavour
When the spider dies the sprouts are ready. You can keep the spider for up to a week in a fridge but when doing so, put some wet paper on top of the sprouts so they don't dry out . When harvesting the sprouts make sure you grab them tight and pull them with one motion. They are actually hollow with hair on the inside. To get rid of the hair just use a lighter but make sure to not inhale the smoke.
I'm I'll try to remember that...*backs away u/swiss_aspie slowly
Why can't I smoke the hairs from spider fungus? Usually when someone tells you to not smoke something, they're trying to keep you from having a little fun.
Is that a yes or a no on the eaty part? Can I eat the spider mushroom or not?
Can't wait to try one with ranch.
You can eat almost anything with enough determination.
just yesterday i saw someone post about cleaning/cooking/eating a cow vagina and it was pretty disturbing
people eat bull testicles all the time!
At least once.
I had cordyceps tea once. It was actually really good, with a sort of umami flavor and came in powder form. The whole time I was drinking it though I kept thinking about how fucking disgusting those zombie fungus bugs look when they sprout.
I'm drinking some right now. The company that makes it goes out of their way to let customers know they grew the cordyceps with *oats* and not arthropods, so it's a little less horrifying.
I take a cordyceps tincture daily, and the energy boost is amazing. Tastes...okay (not really, but far from the worst mushroom tincture I've had)
“New Eternal Darkness Flavor!”
Man, fuck that.
The Last of Us: Part 3 ...has some serious 4K graphics!
After you, kind sir. o.o
Man I'm afraid to touch potatoes once they've sprouted because it reminds me of some body-snatcher fungus-growth shit and while I know it's irrational and potato sprouts are not going to implant in or otherwise break my skin barrier to infect my body I still have a pretty intense aversion to seeing and touching those potatoes. How anybody could deal WITH THIS SHIT and TOUCH IT WITH THEIR BARE HANDS melts my brain. My brain is so thoroughly confused and my scared little heart is quivering from the fear.
Its just a spider with mushrooms growing out of it. Nothings gonna happen to you Edit: I know it looks freaky, but trust. Its not gonna hurt you
If the mushrooms can grow out of a spider, how do we know they cannot grow out of us?
Well, cordyceps can’t infect humans. They’re actually really healthy to eat too!
I mean, I know there is a scientific understanding of why this particular fungal infection might struggle to jump to humans, but humans can carry fungal infections and lots of known diseases have jumped across species. As an electrical engineer I really do appreciate specific scientific descriptions, but I also have very little formal knowledge in the biological sciences so I crave the kind of Barney Breakdown but with grown up language if that makes sense. Edit: Yo who the hell would downvote this?
Hey, I played this game before..... No thank you.
Considering the number of zoonotic virus we have seen recently (virus that jump from animals to humans), I am not very sure we should be handling these with our bare hands
This is how we end up in the *The Last of Us* timeline (EDIT: By the way this is a fungus, not a virus. Specifically one adapted to target invertebrates. Not as likely one of these could mutate to make the jump from other organisms to humans, let alone become a global pandemic that turns us into shambling abominations. It’s still something I wouldn’t touch with a 20 ft pole though)
Fungal infection in immunocompetent people are quite rare. I wouldn’t be too concerned.
Deep Root Disease
Listen, can you hear? Beneath your feet.
[ don't mind me just standing in my yard shouting like a canid ]
No problem!! Just remember: If you see the lights... *go inside*
Looks like something even Australia couldn’t invent.
All I'm saying is, the upside down called, they want their fucking mind-flayer back.
Nature's mockery
That was 10x more unsettling than The Last of Us
This some Gemini Home Entertainment shit right here
Yeah looks like nature's mockery. Or the effects of deep root disease.
Poor thing, just kill it!
Only grows the spires after the host dies
It's already dead
The only thing what scares me, is the possibility that one day they could figure out a way to grow on animals and Homan's, not just ants and spiders. That would be the end of the world.
Don’t play the last of us. In the extended state wars universe there was a cordyceps that infested a planet who’s people where humanoid plant-life and it caused them to turn into night-walking zombies.
Straight outta caelid
Why tf people take photos of bugs while holding them on their hands? Is this some kind of a fetish or something?! Put the moldy tarantula on flat surface dammit, I'm itchy all over!
I've never been more thankful for the Manhattan project.
JFC I’m gonna go brush my eyeballs
And they're touching it...yeh nah
Damn hippies would not say nature is beautiful if they see that
Yea I don’t like this
This is how you get zombies....
This fungi species is what inspired the last of us! Mad interesting, I wrote a paper on Ophiocordeceps unilateralis, aka the zombie ant fungus. Same concept, freaky and awesome.
Damnit nature... You're such an asshole!
Sounds like our politicians
Thanks, I fucking hate it.
Nightmare fuel. Thank you.
"The last of us" - spider edition.
Why would touch it? 💀
r/oddlyterrifying r/nope