While everyone is waiting for some apocalyptic events from the outside, the real danger is already among us. According to biologist Athena Actipis of Arizona State University, half of all creatures on the planet are parasites.

They are capable of provoking a real zombie apocalypse, for this only the “right mutation” or evolutionary leap is needed.

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The biologist gave an interview to Asia Times, in which she noted a parasite such as Toxoplasma. It infects approximately 40 million Americans a year, making them schizophrenic.

To better understand the degree of danger, Athena gave an example: when a parasite penetrates a rat, it makes it “fall in love” with the smell of cat urine; as a result, the rat itself runs to its enemy and becomes easy prey.

The parasite then penetrates the cat’s body, and later into the human body. The behavior of all animals and people during infection changes dramatically (toxoplasmosis affects the nervous system).

Ms Aktipis said: “The parasite somehow evolved to make a rat get turned on by the smell of cat urine, so it goes up to a cat and snuggles with it, and then it gets eaten which completes the life cycle of the toxoplasma – if that’s not zombification then what is?”

Humans can get infected by the deadly parasite just by eating undercooked meat or even cleaning out a cat’s litter box could lead to infection.

Many studies have found that parasite-based brain infection can contribute to certain human behaviors. Aggression, which is also caused by the parasite, is one such behavior often associated with zombies.

Of course, this would also require a huge evolutionary leap for toxoplasma to do to humans what it does to rats, but the worst is already among us. It remains only to wait until it begins to act actively.