PLAGUE POWERS

Four more outbreaks with an upside

STAR TREK In 1966 episode “Miri”, Kirk and the gang visit a planet where a man-made virus has killed off anyone who’s reached puberty. Silver lining: the surviving children only age a month for every century that passes.

WILD CARDS In this shared world anthology series, the alien-made wild card virus kills 90%, turning another 9% into freakish monsters. A lucky 1%, however, become “Aces”, gifted with powers such as enhanced strength, shapeshifting and flight.

RED DWARF In season five’s “Quarantine”, Rimmer contracts a deadly holovirus that drives holograms insane. On the plus side, it gives victims telepathy, telekinesis and the ability to shoot death rays from their eyes… Still, we’d rather catch the sexual magnetism virus.

PLANET OF THE APES In the modern-day franchise, the Simian Flu wipes out 90% of the human population, then rubs it in by mutating to start robbing the survivors of the power of speech. But it’s good news for apes, as it boosts their intelligence!