The Times Australia
The Times World News

.
The Times Real Estate

.

This freaky slime mould from HBO's The Last of Us isn't a fungus at all – but it is a brainless predator

  • Written by Chris R. Reid, ARC Future Fellow, Macquarie University
This freaky slime mould from HBO's The Last of Us isn't a fungus at all – but it is a brainless predator

In HBO’s post-apocalyptic drama The Last of Us, human civilisation has fallen in the face of a fungal takeover triggered by climate change.

The show’s opening credits and creature designs are inspired by the slime mould Physarum polycephalum. But while the show’s “infected” (i.e. zombies) are meant to be victims of a fungal pandemic, slime moulds are not actually fungi at all.

Opening credits for The Last of Us. HBO Max/YouTube.

They are in fact much more ancient, and less closely related to fungi than even we are. Since scientists first tried to classify slime moulds, they have been wrongly grouped with plants, animals, and in particular, fungi.

This is because they typically occur in the same ecosystems as fungi, and because they produce structures to help spread their spores, much like their fungal cousins do.

Molecular methods for grouping lifeforms by comparing their DNA have helped us better understand slime moulds’ distinct heritage. Yet their exact place on the tree of life is still unclear.

Read more: Before The Last of Us, I was part of an international team to chart the threat of killer fungi. This is what we found[1]

A fierce predator

Despite bearing a superficial similarity to fungi, there are many aspects of the slime mould’s biology that are strikingly unique. This yellow blob of goo may not look like much, but it is in fact a fierce predator of bacteria, yeasts and other microorganisms, including fungi.

Though they can grow quite large – up to several square metres across – each slime mould is a single cell, containing millions of nuclei and all the other complex machinery that lies inside cells like ours.

The slime mould’s “body” is a network of veins and tubes that can move at the rapid pace of up to five centimetres per hour to locate and capture their prey.

Inside the slime mould, a rich soup of cell components and food particles flows back and forth within the network. This flow transmits nutrients, chemical signals and information between different regions of the slime mould.

These rippling, sprawling movements are likely what makes slime mould so appealingly creepy to horror artists and filmmakers.

A prosthetic humanoid corpse against a brick wall, with orange bracket fungi growing from the skin and network-like yellow material spreading out from the body onto the wall.
In this behind the scenes shot, one of ‘the infected’ from HBO’s The Last of Us is plastered to the wall by what looks like giant slime moulds. @barriegower/Instagram[2]

Read more: The Last of Us: fungal infections really can kill – and they’re getting more dangerous[3]

Zombie intelligence

Slime mould physiology and anatomy is as alien as it is fascinating. But it’s their behaviour that separates them from their peers, and perhaps mirrors our own a little too closely for comfort.

Far from being simple cells moving blindly through the leaf litter, slime moulds can gather a huge amount of information from their environment, and use it to make smart decisions about where to move and look for food, much like the infected in The Last of Us, which operate as one large organism in search of prey.

So far, the slime mould has been shown to sense and move toward or away from carbohydrates[4], proteins, amino acids[5], free nucleotides[6], volatile organic chemicals[7], salts[8], pH, light, humidity and temperature[9], even sensing the direction of gravity[10] and magnetic fields[11].

When a slime mould finds several food sources at the same time, it tries to cover each food with as much of itself as it can (to absorb it), without splitting into disconnected individuals. The most efficient way to do this is to have a single tube connecting the two foods along the shortest path between them.

Slime moulds have evolved over millions of years to become master network engineers. They are expert maze-solvers[12], and researchers have begun to build computer algorithms for the design of human train and telecommunication networks based on slime mould approaches[13].

The yellow blob of goo is a single network (and single cell) of Physarum polycephalum exploring the surface of an agar plate in search of food. The footage is sped up significantly (around 20x). Chris R. Reid/New Jersey Institute of Technology.

Read more: The brainless slime mould that remembers where it's been[14]

No brain? No problem

Slime moulds’ problem-solving abilities are all the more fascinating because the creature doesn’t have a brain or even a single neuron. Nevertheless, they show signs of memorisation and even learning – two things which traditionally were thought possible only in animals with brains.

As they move, slime moulds leave behind a trail of slime similar to mucous. This slime trail serves as an externalised memory[15] of areas it has explored in the past, which is very useful for solving mazes.

They can distinguish between their own trails, their neighbours’, and those of other slime mould species[16]. They also use food signals left behind in the trails to judge their own chances of finding food in an area[17].

Researchers have also found[18] slime moulds can learn to ignore a substance they normally find repellent (such as quinine or caffeine) after prolonged exposure. Researchers call this basic form of learning “habituation”.

Amazingly, when a habituated slime mould fuses together with an untrained slime mould (oh yeah, they can do that), the learned behaviour is observed in the new combined individual[19].

All this raises the (somewhat creepy) question: what other kinds of knowledge do slimy creatures pass between each other as they crawl beneath the forest floor?

Read more: Nature's traffic engineers have come up with many simple but effective solutions[20]

References

  1. ^ Before The Last of Us, I was part of an international team to chart the threat of killer fungi. This is what we found (theconversation.com)
  2. ^ @barriegower/Instagram (www.instagram.com)
  3. ^ The Last of Us: fungal infections really can kill – and they’re getting more dangerous (theconversation.com)
  4. ^ carbohydrates (www.microbiologyresearch.org)
  5. ^ amino acids (www.sciencedirect.com)
  6. ^ free nucleotides (www.microbiologyresearch.org)
  7. ^ volatile organic chemicals (www.tandfonline.com)
  8. ^ salts (www.sciencedirect.com)
  9. ^ temperature (europepmc.org)
  10. ^ gravity (www.sciencedirect.com)
  11. ^ magnetic fields (ieeexplore.ieee.org)
  12. ^ maze-solvers (www.nature.com)
  13. ^ human train and telecommunication networks based on slime mould approaches (www.science.org)
  14. ^ The brainless slime mould that remembers where it's been (theconversation.com)
  15. ^ externalised memory (www.pnas.org)
  16. ^ other slime mould species (academic.oup.com)
  17. ^ judge their own chances of finding food in an area (royalsocietypublishing.org)
  18. ^ Researchers have also found (royalsocietypublishing.org)
  19. ^ the learned behaviour is observed in the new combined individual (royalsocietypublishing.org)
  20. ^ Nature's traffic engineers have come up with many simple but effective solutions (theconversation.com)

Read more https://theconversation.com/this-freaky-slime-mould-from-hbos-the-last-of-us-isnt-a-fungus-at-all-but-it-is-a-brainless-predator-200271

The Times Features

Why Regional Small Businesses in Bendigo Deserve Better Access to Finance in 2025

In the heart of regional Victoria, Bendigo has long stood as a beacon of innovation, resilience and community spirit. As we step further into 2025, the importance of nurturing sm...

Is It Time for a Deep Cleaning? Signs You Shouldn’t Ignore

Most people know they should visit the dentist for a regular check-up and cleaning every six months. But sometimes, a standard cleaning isn’t enough. When plaque and tartar build...

The Hidden Meaning Behind Popular Engagement Ring Cuts

When it comes to engagement rings, the cut of the diamond is not just about aesthetics. Each shape carries its own symbolism and significance, making it an important decision for...

Annual Health Exams in the Office: How They Can Reduce Sick Days and Healthcare Costs

Regular health check-ups, especially annual health exams in the office, can significantly impact the overall well-being of your workforce. A proactive approach to employee health...

Best Deals on Home Furniture Online

Key Highlights Discover the best deals on high-quality outdoor furniture online. Transform your outdoor space into a stylish and comfortable oasis. Explore a wide range of d...

Discover the Best Women's Jumpers for Every Season

Key Highlights Explore lightweight jumpers for spring and summer, ensuring breathability and ease. Wrap up warm with cozy wool jumpers for the chilly autumn and winter season...

Times Magazine

The Essential Guide to Transforming Office Spaces for Maximum Efficiency

Why Office Fitouts MatterA well-designed office can make all the difference in productivity, employee satisfaction, and client impressions. Businesses of all sizes are investing in updated office spaces to create environments that foster collaborat...

The A/B Testing Revolution: How AI Optimized Landing Pages Without Human Input

A/B testing was always integral to the web-based marketing world. Was there a button that converted better? Marketing could pit one against the other and see which option worked better. This was always through human observation, and over time, as d...

Using Countdown Timers in Email: Do They Really Increase Conversions?

In a world that's always on, where marketers are attempting to entice a subscriber and get them to convert on the same screen with one email, the power of urgency is sometimes the essential element needed. One of the most popular ways to create urg...

Types of Software Consultants

In today's technology-driven world, businesses often seek the expertise of software consultants to navigate complex software needs. There are several types of software consultants, including solution architects, project managers, and user experienc...

CWU Assistive Tech Hub is Changing Lives: Win a Free Rollator Walker This Easter!

🌟 Mobility. Independence. Community. All in One. This Easter, the CWU Assistive Tech Hub is pleased to support the Banyule community by giving away a rollator walker. The giveaway will take place during the Macleod Village Easter Egg Hunt & Ma...

"Eternal Nurture" by Cara Barilla: A Timeless Collection of Wisdom and Healing

Renowned Sydney-born author and educator Cara Barilla has released her latest book, Eternal Nurture, a profound collection of inspirational quotes designed to support mindfulness, emotional healing, and personal growth. With a deep commitment to ...

LayBy Shopping