The Science of The Last of Us

TL;DR

The Last of Us is a scientifically grounded game that explores a post-apocalyptic world with a novel pathogen, fungal infections, and other realistic elements.

Transcript

warning photo packaging detective begin exclamation protocol I consider the last of us to be a masterpiece and exceptionally well written and acted piece of drama flawlessly translated through a PlayStation controller with the sequel and the story on my mind I thought today would be a good time to go through everything you need to know about the su... Read More

Key Insights

• 🛝 The Last of Us incorporates scientifically grounded elements, such as spillover events, fungal infections, and the behavior of infected creatures.
• 👾 Cordyceps fungi in the game are based on real-world species known for their zombie-like effects on insects.
• 👾 Echolocation, as depicted in the game's clickers, is a plausible ability found in certain animals.
• 👾 The long-lasting pandemic in the game is believable, as infectious diseases strive for a balance between infectivity and mortality.
• 🥺 Post-apocalyptic environments can lead to the reclamation of nature, as shown in both the game and the book "The World Without Us."
• 😀 The game accurately reflects some challenges faced by the global health establishment during a pandemic, including the spread of misinformation.
• ✳️ Fungal immunity, while protecting most individuals, can pose risks to immunocompromised individuals.

Questions & Answers

Q: Is it realistic for a novel pathogen to emerge and cause a global pandemic?

Yes, spillover events have occurred in real life, where pathogens jump from animals to humans, leading to widespread diseases like Ebola and COVID-19.

Q: How do Cordyceps fungi turn creatures into zombies?

Cordyceps fungi, specifically the zombie fungus Cordyceps unilateralis, infects ants by altering their behavior and eventually causing their death, using their bodies to sporulate and spread the fungus.

Q: Are clickers, echolocation-based enemies, scientifically plausible?

Yes, certain animals can echolocate and interpret sound data, and the presence of splayed open heads in clickers might serve as a means to collect and amplify echoes, similar to barn owls.

Q: Why do infectious diseases get less virulent over time?

Infectious diseases tend to establish a balance between infectivity and mortality to ensure optimal transmission. Highly lethal diseases can be evolutionary dead ends, leading to less virulent strains over time.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• The game's premise revolves around a spillover event, where a novel pathogen jumps from animals to humans, similar to real-life zoonotic diseases like Ebola and HIV.

• The Last of Us accurately portrays a fictional genus of fungi called Cordyceps, which can turn creatures into zombies, similar to their effects on ants in nature.

• The game's depiction of clickers, echolocation-based enemies, is scientifically plausible, considering the ability of animals to echolocate and interpret sound data.

• The long-lasting pandemic in the game is also plausible, as infectious diseases tend to reach a balance between infectivity and mortality, allowing for sustained transmission.

• The game's portrayal of a post-apocalyptic world aligns with the concept presented in the book "The World Without Us," where nature reclaims human-built structures in the absence of human presence.

• The game accurately reflects the potential inability of the global health establishment to handle a pandemic, as well as the rise of conspiracies and misinformation during such events.

• Fungal immunity is a critical aspect of the game's storyline, and while the human immune system targets fungal cells, immunocompromised individuals are more susceptible to serious fungal infections.