Tag

Fungi

All articles tagged with #fungi

science15 days ago•6 min saved

Chernobyl Fungus Hints at Radiosynthesis: Melanin May Turn Radiation Into Energy

Scientists studying the black fungus Cladosporium sphaerospermum in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone report it grows better in ionizing radiation, possibly via a radiosynthesis-like process in which melanin could harvest energy while shielding the fungus from damage; though earlier work suggested a photosynthesis‑like pathway and a 2022 ISS experiment showed radiation shielding, a concrete energy-harvesting mechanism remains unproven, leaving the exact purpose of radiation tolerance uncertain and highlighting life’s adaptations in extreme environments.

via ScienceAlert|

#chernobyl #fungi #ionizing-radiation

science23 days ago•11 min saved

Soil Fungus Produces Cell-Free Ice-Nucleating Proteins, Paving Way for Weather Control

An international team found common soil fungi secrete stable, water-soluble proteins that can nucleate ice at around -2°C, acting as cell-free ice makers. This could provide a natural, non-toxic alternative for cloud seeding, enable improved frozen-food and medical preservation, and help climate models by better accounting for ice formation in clouds.

via ZME Science|

#climate-models #cloud-seeding #fungi

biology25 days ago•16 min saved

Fungus Nucleates Ice at Near-Freezing Temps

Researchers identify a fungal protein from the Mortierellaceae family that triggers ice formation at about -2°C, offering a non-toxic alternative to silver iodide for cloud seeding and potential bioinspired freezing technologies, with evolutionary ties to bacterial ice nucleators.

via Gizmodo|

#biology #climate-science #cloud-seeding

science1 month ago•6 min saved

Radiation-Eating Fungus Could Grow Into a Living Shield for Spacecraft

Researchers studying Cladosporium sphaerospermum—an often-black fungus—found it not only tolerates radiation but may grow toward it and form biomass that, in tests aboard the ISS, accumulated faster (about 21% more quickly than Earth controls) under space conditions. Melanin-rich fungi could help absorb radiation, suggesting a potential “living shield” concept for future spacecraft, possibly combined with local materials in ISRU. The work, conducted in a CubeLab on the ISS, is a proof-of-principle with limitations (small payload, controlled Petri dish setup) and does not demonstrate radiosynthesis; further experiments are needed to assess reliability across conditions and particle types.

via Earth.com|

#fungi #melanin #radiation

science1 month ago•19 min saved

Climate Change Could Spread Deadly Aspergillus Fungus Worldwide

A new study using climate models warns that Aspergillus fungi, including A. fumigatus, could expand their geographic range as temperatures rise, increasing risk of invasive infections in people and mycotoxin-related crop losses. The spread is amplified by azole resistance driven by overlapping use of antifungicides in agriculture and medicine. Experts call for coordinated monitoring, better diagnostics, and stronger climate action to limit spread and mitigate health and agricultural impacts.

via Earth.com|

#aspergillus #climate-change #drug-resistance

science1 month ago•21 min saved

Devonian Colossus Prototaxites Reclassified as a Mystery Life Form

A new study re-examines Prototaxites taiti, a 26-foot Devonian fossil, and finds it does not match any known fungus, plant, or animal, instead representing a previously undescribed extinct group of eukaryotes, making it one of evolution’s most enigmatic life forms.

via Earth.com|

#devonian #fungi #paleontology

science2 months ago•5 min saved

Fungi weaponize plant defenses to combat bark beetles

Researchers from the Max Planck Institute showed that certain Beauveria bassiana strains can infect and kill bark beetles by detoxifying spruce tree defense chemicals (stilbenes and flavonoids). The fungus converts these compounds into less protective forms through two phases, first removing sugar to form aglycones and then methylating them to methylglucosides, which avoids the plant defenses and enables infection. Gene knockouts of the detoxification pathways reduce virulence, indicating these defenses are bypassable. Other fungi, like Cordyceps militaris, may use similar tricks, suggesting a future in biocontrol where fungi replace some chemical insecticides.

via Ars Technica|

#bark-beetles #biology #fungi

science2 months ago•2 min saved

Cobalt Crust Fungus Reappears on Isle of Man After 50-Year Gap

Three sightings of the rare blue fungus Terana caerulea, or Cobalt Crust, have been recorded on the Isle of Man this year—the first since 1976—found on dead wood in Onchan with reports from Andreas and Baldrine; experts say more people searching for fungi and favorable weather are driving the sightings, and while the fungus helps recycle nutrients and has historical medicinal use, its exact means of transport to the island remains a mystery.

via BBC|

#biodiversity #cobalt-crust #fungi

science-and-technology2 months ago•6 min saved

Truffles hitchhike to new habitats through animal meals

Truffles, underground fruiting bodies of fungi, cannot release spores into the air. Instead they rely on animals eating them and transporting the spores through digestion, depositing them elsewhere and enabling the fungi to spread across ecosystems.

via The Economist|

#animal-mediated-dispersal #ecology #fungi

science2 months ago•4 min saved

Ancient Prototaxites Defies Modern Lineages

New analyses of Prototaxites fossils suggest the giant Silurian–Devonian structures belong to an entirely extinct branch of eukaryotes, not fungi, plants, algae, or animals, making Prototaxites a fossil anomaly resistant to placement on the tree of life.

via ScienceAlert|

#eukaryotes #extinct #fungi

science3 months ago•3 min saved

Fungi Began Complex Life, Not Plants or Animals

Fungi were the first complex life forms on Earth, evolving before plants and animals, initially thriving in aquatic environments and later adapting to land, forming symbiotic relationships and networks that set the stage for the emergence of plants and animals.

via Big Think|

#aquatic-organisms #early-life #evolution

biology4 months ago•29 min saved

Exploring the Biodiversity and Evolution of Mushroom-Forming Fungi

This article reviews the current research on mushroom-forming fungi, covering their biodiversity, genomics, ecological roles, and evolutionary history, highlighting recent discoveries in their symbiosis, decay mechanisms, and biogeography.

via Nature|

#biodiversity #biology #ecology

science-and-environment4 months ago•6 min saved

Scientists Uncover the Engineering Marvels of Fungi

Scientists are exploring the potential of fungi, particularly mycelium, to address environmental challenges such as plastic waste and pollution, with innovations like fungi-activated diapers that could decompose plastics within a year and fungi-based materials for packaging, insulation, and chemical production, highlighting fungi's versatility as nature's original engineers.

via The Guardian|

#biodegradable #environmental-innovation #fungi

home-and-garden5 months ago•3 min saved

Gardeners Urged to Watch for Lawn Mushrooms and How to Handle Them

Mushrooms often appear in lawns during wet weather and can be harmless or toxic. To manage them, remove mushrooms promptly with gloves and keep the lawn dry and well-maintained to prevent future growth. While beneficial for soil health, caution is advised if pets or children are around, and expert identification is recommended for safety.

via Tom's Guide|

#fungi #garden-tips #home-and-garden

technology5 months ago•1 min saved

Mushrooms as Eco-Friendly Computer Memory Solutions

Researchers at Ohio State University have developed a method to use fungi, specifically shiitake and button mushroom mycelium, as organic memristors, which could lead to environmentally friendly and sustainable components for future computing devices, leveraging the natural properties of fungi to store electrical states.

via Hackaday|

#computing #fungi #memristors