Matt Kasson

Contributor

More from Matt Kasson

‘Mr. Fezziwig's Ball,’ an 1843 illustration by John Leech for ‘A Christmas Carol’ by Charles Dickens. This novella was the earliest and most popular of Dickens' Christmas stories. The kissing under mistletoe (left) and evergreen decoration hanging from the ceiling are vestiges of pre-Christian winter rites.

A history of mistletoe: The parasitic ‘dung on a twig’

a mushroom with a white stem and a red cap with white dots

Mario’s super-sized mushroom exists in real life

A “zombie ant” that has been infected by the parasitic fungus Complex Ophiocordyceps unilateralis.

Cordyceps fungus: ‘The Last of Us’ co-star thriving outside the spotlight

Fly with cordyceps zombie fungus growing out of its head on black background

Endangered Species

Nightmare-fuel fungi exist in real life