Zombie caterpillars may cure cancer — but the side effects are uncertain

Spores released by parasitic fungi of the group cordyceps infect insect hosts, causing the fungus to grow inside them. Eventually, this kills the host, but a bizarre twist is that before they die their behavior is changed to assist the release of new fungal spores. This conversion of the insect host into a “zombie” has inspired at least one sci-fi novel and film (The Girl with All the Gifts) as well as a computer game (The Last of Us). The premise of these stories is that mutant fungi can infect humans and turn them into zombies. While the infection of…

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