The zombies living in our midst

Did you know that when you pick up avocados at the supermarket, make avocado toast at home or order guacamole in your burrito, you’re probably consuming only one genetic type of avocado? Yep, it’s the Hass avocado. Since it originated in California in the 20th century, it’s been ...  Show more

Synthetic peptides are getting some serious hype, from fitness influencers on your FYP to people seeking new options for chronic conditions. And while the human body already makes peptides, like insulin and the hormone oxytocin, most of the viral synthetic peptides are not approv ...  Show more

Zombies might seem like the stuff of horror movies, but there are lots of examples of parasites taking over bugs’ bodies and bending them to their will. Guest: Mindy Weisberger, author of Rise of the Zombie Bugs: The Surprising Science of Parasitic Mind-Control For show transcrip ...  Show more

Some specialized fungi can hijack the behavior of ants, wasps, and spiders in order to spread their spores. Learn about the real-life Cordyceps and Ophiocordyceps fungi that inspired 'The Last of Us' in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://science.howstuffwo ...  Show more

Atlanta is in shambles. Parasite-infected humans wander the streets, stinking of death and attacking everyone in sight. Meanwhile Robert and Julie hold up in the HSW headquarters to shed light on the so-called "zombie outbreak" by highlighting real-world examples of minds hija ...

The real-life fungi that inspired The Last of Us hijack the bodies of ants, wasps, cicadas, and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices