Known in Tibet as "summer-grass winter-worm," the worm grass is a plant and worm hybrid that lives on mountain slopes more than 4,000 meters (13,000 feet) above sea level. It is formed when a parasitic fungus hijacks and mummifies the bodies of ghost moth larvae that have burrowed into the alpine soil. It then steers their bodies to the surface so it can spread its spores like that of a plant. The entire process can last up to five years

the worm grass, typically two inches long, is a traditional Tibetan cure-all herbal medicine that is said to promote the fight of Aids, cancer and other tough illnesses. As a result, it has become a highly sought-after commodity fetching prices that are comparable to gold.