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Sprouting up glowing mushrooms, digesting toxic waste, and hijacking ants. These are just a few ways in which fungi monopolise the biological world. They’re everywhere: in our meals, bodies, under the ground beneath our feet, even in parts of the planet where nothing else can survive. There are an estimated three million species of fungi, yet only approximately 150,000 have been characterised. Despite this, the known fungi show an incredible amount of biodiversity and feature some truly bizarre organisms.
The fungus kingdom provides an unusual and under-utilised natural resource. Not only are fungi highly abundant, they are also fast growing and an integrated part of the ecosystem (unlike plastic and other synthetic chemicals), meaning they can be produced at high rates and disposed of sustainably without poisoning the environment.
In most fungi, mushrooms are merely the tip of the iceberg, with the majority of their functionality occurring in the mycelium. Mycelia are the fungal equivalent of roots and are usually the largest part of the organism. The largest mycelial network on earth spreads over an area of ten square kilometres! They are vital parts of the local ecosystem, having been shown to share resources with plants and even decrease nearby plants’ susceptibility to pathogenic attack. Beyond these ecological properties, mycelia also exhibit a number of impressive material properties that have captured the imagination of scientists.
…To read the full article, head over to Issue 31: Science in the 22nd Century
Written by Azia Bolger (she/her), a 5th-year Chemistry student.
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