Lightning strikes make collecting a parasitic fungus prized in traditional Chinese medicine a deadly pursuit

Jan 14, 2025

In the remote Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, a rare fungus grows inside dead caterpillars. In traditional Chinese medicine, this parasitic fungus is prized for its purported medicinal effects. Known as Ophiocordyceps sinensis—colloquially, caterpillar fungus or "Himalayan gold"—it can fetch astronomical prices on the herbal medicine market: up to US$63,000 per pound.