A team from a research vessel dug into deep-sea trenches and discovered an unknown fungal substance, and brought it up ...

  On testing, they revitalized dormant microbes, which survived a remarkable amount of time, back to the dawn of early humans.

  Stolen novel; please report.

  They celebrated their possible discovery for life extension.

  ———

  Sometime during early human evolution:

  Gootahex mixed a strange fungus with his blood and set it overnight.

  In the morning, some tribal members touched the fungus, and it consumed all their flesh.

  Gootahex sealed the fungus in a container and tossed it into a river.

  Gootahex decreed no touch of fungus.