Fungi: mycelia, mushrooms & more

"By growing mycelium into the electronics of a robot, we were able to allow the biohybrid machine to sense and respond to the environment," said senior researcher Rob Shepherd, a materials scientist at Cornell, when the research was published in August.

Fungi transplant aims to restore soil species crucial for healthy tree growth

Chaga is one of a host of popular health-promoting fungi species, but is certainly one of the most researched.

Researchers have increasingly recognized how essential fungi are to sequestering carbon in the soil and some have come to appreciate the outsized role they play in supporting crop health, mitigating climate change, and even sheltering crops from disease. As fungi's vast benefits come to light, more farmers are tapping into this vital network, learning how to work with beneficial fungi to encourage its growth in the soil, swapping tilling for microscopes.

Mycorrhizal fungi, which encompass thousands of species, can form large, underground networks, connected by branching filaments called hyphae, threading through the soil in every direction. One type of this fungi, known as arbuscular mycorrhizal, attaches directly to the cell membranes of a plant's root, facilitating a smooth delivery. Other microbes in the soil, like protozoa and nematodes, participate in this cycling, too, digesting fungi and bacteria to release their nutrients in a more available form to plants.

The field of mycology focuses on the study of fungi. It is currently undergoing a transformation. New trends and technologies are reshaping our understanding and interaction with this topic. Let’s take a glimpse into what lies ahead for the future of mycology.

Berlin-headquartered ProteinDistillery broke ground on its Protein Competence Center last week, which will produce Prew:tein, a yeast-based protein that can enhance the functional properties of meat and dairy alternatives, and act as an egg white replacement in several applications, including baked goods.

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It’s a doozy this week – the origin and history of penicillin. It’s so much more than just Alexander Fleming. From the ancient use of molds in bandages, to the arrival of germ theory, to World War II, Lynne will go into detail to describe the long and, at times, arduous process that ended with one of the most influential pharmaceutical products of all time.

Even if you don't know what 3D microfluidic networks are, that doesn't change the fact that they have some very valuable possible uses. Scientists have now devised a much easier method of making the things, by taking casts of plant roots.

Taking the concept a step further, the scientists experimented with growing fungi in the media instead of plants. It was found that the organisms' extremely fine root structure, known as hyphae, formed channels in the glass as narrow as 1 micrometer.

The study

The humongous fungus grows throughout Malheur National Forest in Oregon's Blue Mountains. It spans over 2,385 acres — an area roughly the size of 1,665 football fields. Scientists estimate the organism to be around 8,000 years old.

Mathilde Do Chi is the CEO of Forward Food Law, a food law and regulatory consultancy in global alternative protein regulations. She is an international food law and regulatory consultant with expertise in alternative proteins, novel foods, the future of food, and much more.

At the Institute of Architecture and Media at Graz University of Technology, the Shape Lab research group developed a new material named MyCera composed of clay, wood sawdust, and mycelium

The research focuses on using mycelium as an intelligently oriented fiber reinforcement to increase the structural performance of 3D printed unfired clay elements and allow for bio-welding of fired elements.

Mycelium has been proven to both increase the structural performance of clay 3D printed elements and act as a bio-binder between different pieces, creating a stable combined structure.

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Fungi offer huge unexplored potential to feed our growing population, providing nutritious and sustainable sources of protein.

Discover Deep Forest at the Louisiana Museum, where bio-digital design redefines architecture through mycelium and algae innovation.

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High-strength mycelium-based bricks for sustainable construction

Seven French designers and artists have worked with a mycelium-based biomaterial called Reishi to create products including folding screens, desks and lighting fixtures.

Mohawk Council of Kahnawake Chief Jeremiah Johnson has some ideas about the science of using mushrooms and fungi to break down toxic fuel spills or leaks, and he thinks they are about ready to see the light of day.

Mycelium, the root-like part of a fungus, can be grown in combination with organic matter to fit different-shaped moulds, producing a strong building material that can be cultivated anywhere.

It's "a healthy material because it's fully natural", urban planning expert Srouri, who is Palestinian, said next to a prototype shelter -- a roomy, enclosed structure with windows and a sloping roof.

"It's something that can provide the solution to extreme weather conditions to protect them from the extreme cold."

Scientists are reimagining the food system, turning to fungal fermentation as a sustainable method for transforming food byproducts into tasty treats.