Will brie and Camembert cheeses go extinct? Here’s what scientists say.

Legend has it that the world has the French Revolution to thank for Camembert. The cheese with hints of caramelized butter and earthy mushrooms dates back to 1791, when a fleeing priest is said to have shared the recipe with a farm woman from Camembert who’d welcomed him into her home.

The cheese has since become a staple in France and abroad. McDonald’s — to some French customers’ dismay — once rolled out a burger topped with slices of Camembert, which also inspired artist Salvador Dalí's famous gooey clocks.

But Camembert and its blander-tasting cousin, brie cheese, have in recent weeks been the subjects of headlines and social media posts declaring that the beloved fromages are heading for the grave.

The warnings followed a study by the French National Center for Scientific Research that said the cheeses are on “the verge of extinction” — a death sentence driven by what the scientists said was a fungal crisis.

Does this mean charcuterie boards are doomed to a future sans delightfully stinky cheese? Here’s what scientists told The Washington Post.