Episode 15 Season 7: Fungal Apocalypse, Dinosaur Digs, and The Orange Cat Gene!
Description
We explore the science behind HBO's "The Last of Us," investigating whether a fungal apocalypse could happen in real life and if a vaccine for fungal infections is possible. The Royal Tyrrell Museum's new "Breakthroughs" exhibit showcases five groundbreaking fossil discoveries that revolutionized our understanding of prehistoric life. Lastly we look at the cause of the orange color in orange cats!
• Fungal infections like cordyceps jumping to humans is extremely unlikely, though climate change impacts fungal evolution
• Scientists have no approved fungal vaccines available, with only four new antifungal drugs approved in the last decade
• The Royal Tyrrell Museum in Alberta showcases world-class dinosaur specimens including Canada's best-preserved nodosaur
• Five breakthrough fossils include a Mosasaurus with preserved cartilage, feathered Ornithomimus, and exceptionally preserved Borealopelta
• Recent studies reveal orange cats share a single genetic mutation near the RH-GAP36 gene that originated 900 years ago
• Female orange cats are rare because they need the mutation on both X chromosomes, while males only need one copy
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