Tag

Mycelium

All articles tagged with #mycelium

science5 hours ago•15 min saved

Hidden Giant Beneath Oregon: A Single Honey Fungus Spans 3.5 Square Miles

A single Armillaria ostoyae fungus under Oregon’s Malheur National Forest covers about 2,385 acres (roughly 3.5 square miles) and is estimated to be 2,000–8,500 years old, making it the largest known living organism on Earth. Its underground mycelium and rhizomorphs slowly kill trees to feed the colony, while the visible autumn mushrooms are small and transient. DNA fingerprinting and vegetative pairing proved the entire forest-wide network is one genet. There is no way to eliminate it; management focuses on planting resistant species and careful thinning to slow its spread.

via Space Daily|

#armillaria-ostoyae #honey-mushroom #largest-organism

science3 months ago•2 min saved

Oregon's Hidden Giant: The 8,650-Year-Old Honey Fungus Spanning 3.7 Square Miles

The world’s largest known organism is a single honey fungus (Armillaria ostoyae) in Oregon’s Malheur National Forest, covering about 3.7 square miles with an extensive underground mycelial network and rhizomorphs. Genetic tests revealed it is a single clonal individual that killed trees by enzymatic decay, and estimates place its age between roughly 2,400 and 8,650 years.

via BBC Wildlife Magazine|

#armillaria-ostoyae #honey-fungus #largest-organism

science3 months ago•2 min saved

Oregon's Glowing Giant: the World’s Largest Organism

The world’s biggest and oldest organism is a single clone of honey fungus (Armillaria ostoyae) in Oregon’s Malheur National Forest, spanning about 3.7 square miles. Its vast underground mycelial network (with rhizomorphs) grows by feeding on trees, while the surface shows bioluminescent hints known as foxfire. Estimates place its age between 2,400 and 8,650 years, underscoring how a fungus can dwarf all other life in scale.

via BBC Wildlife Magazine|

#armillaria-ostoyae #bioluminescence #honey-fungus

technology5 months ago•5 min saved

Fungi and Mycelium: The Future of Sustainable Construction and Climate Solutions

Mycelium, the underground network of fungi, shows promise as a sustainable, biodegradable material for construction and packaging, with ongoing research focused on improving its durability and strength for real-world applications, potentially revolutionizing eco-friendly building practices.

via The Conversation|

#biodegradable #building-materials #construction

science-and-environment5 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

environment7 months ago•5 min saved

Mushrooms: The Next Generation of Eco-Friendly Insulation

Scientists in Alaska are developing a new insulation material made from mycelium, the fungal network beneath mushrooms, to provide a sustainable, biodegradable alternative to plastic foam for housing in extreme climates, addressing environmental concerns and housing needs in the face of climate change.

via The Washington Post|

#alaska #biomaterials #environment

science11 months ago•4 min saved

Giant 35,000-Ton Organism May Be Earth's Largest

The humongous fungus in Oregon, known as Armillaria ostoyae, is the largest organism on Earth by mass, spanning 2,385 acres and weighing around 35,000 tons, primarily existing as an underground network of mycelium that plays a crucial role in decomposing organic matter and recycling nutrients, with debates ongoing about its true size and the definition of an organism.

via Indian Defence Review|

#armillaria-ostoyae #ecological-role #humongous-fungus

science1 year ago•4 min saved

Fungi Study Challenges Traditional Views on Cognition

A study by researchers at Japan's Tohoku University has found that a species of wood-eating fungus, Phanerochaete velutina, can recognize and remember shapes, suggesting cognitive abilities without a brain. The fungi maintained specific patterns in their growth, indicating a form of spatial memory and decision-making. This challenges traditional views on consciousness and cognition, suggesting that intelligent behavior can occur without a central nervous system. The findings could have implications for understanding cognition in other life forms, including humans.

via PBS NewsHour|

#cognition #consciousness #fungi

environment2 years ago•0 min saved

"The Environmental Power of Mushrooms: Mycelium, the Life Force of Earth"

Mushrooms and their underground network of mycelium have the potential to play a crucial role in saving the planet. They can help combat climate change by sequestering carbon dioxide, breaking down pollutants, and restoring damaged ecosystems. Additionally, mushrooms offer sustainable alternatives to materials like plastic and leather, and can even be used to create renewable energy. Harnessing the power of mushrooms could contribute to environmental sustainability and biodiversity conservation.

via Daily Kos|

#biodiversity #climate-change #environment

technology2 years ago•1 min saved

"Scientists Propose Fungal Coating to Neutralize Killer Robots"

Researchers have developed a living skin made of fungus, inspired by "The Terminator," which could act as a biodegradable and multifunctional sensor for electronics. The fungus, Ganoderma sessile, was grown on a seven-inch "Terminator" model, turning it into a "bio-cybernetic entity." While currently a proof of concept, the researchers hope their research could pave the way for living skins that could regulate building temperatures.

via Futurism|

#biodegradable #fungus #mycelium

science-and-technology2 years ago•2 min saved

"Revolutionary Discovery in Home Construction: A Game-Changing Breakthrough"

Scientists at Newcastle University in the UK are using fungal networks called mycelium to build lighter-weight structures, aiming to reduce reliance on concrete and minimize environmental impact. By mixing mycelium spores with materials that the spores can grow on, such as grains, and using flexible knitted molds, they have created mycocrete, a stronger and more versatile building material. This innovative approach could have a significant impact on the construction industry and help address the environmental issues associated with concrete production.

via Yahoo News|

#biomaterials #environmental-impact #fungal-networks

architecture3 years ago•1 min saved

"Fungi and 3D Printing: A Sustainable Solution for Building Materials and Carbon Storage"

PLP Labs, the research arm of London-based PLP Architecture, has been experimenting with mycelium bio-composites as a sustainable alternative to traditional building materials. The team created 3D-printed wooden formworks, which were then loaded with hemp as a substrate. This substrate, inoculated with mycelium, then starts to grow, taking the shape of its vessel. The mycelium forms possess excellent acoustic and thermal properties, are lightweight, fire-resistant, and have good insulation properties.

via Core77.com|

#3d-printing #architecture #bio-composites

environment3 years ago•2 min saved

The Climate Solution Beneath Our Feet: Fungi's Role in Carbon Storage.

Fungi, specifically their vast network of roots known as mycelia, hold a third of the annually emitted carbon dioxide emissions on Earth, making the soil beneath our feet the biggest carbon sink in the world. An international team of researchers pooled data from hundreds of studies on plant-soil processes to make this discovery. Mycelium can be grown extremely fast, while producing mushrooms as a food source, making them a potential solution to managing fossil fuel emissions. The researchers are now investigating how long carbon is stored by the fungi and are seeking to further explore how it boosts ecosystems.

via Good News Network|

#biodiversity #carbon-emissions #carbon-sink

environment3 years ago•3 min saved

Fungi: The Key to Cutting Emissions and Fighting Climate Change?

Architects and scientists are exploring the use of mycelium, the root-like network of fungal threads, as a sustainable and low-carbon alternative to traditional building materials like steel, cement, and glass. Mycelium is lightweight, biodegradable, and has high resistance to fire, making it an ideal material for construction. Researchers are investigating how to grow mycelium into stronger structures that can support weight and exploring the possibility of 'grow at home' kits that could be used to create custom structures. The use of innovative materials like fungi could help reduce the environmental impact of construction and build a greener future.

via Euronews|

#carbon-footprint #construction #environment

science-and-technology3 years ago•2 min saved

Self-Repairing Clothes: The Future of Fashion

Researchers from Newcastle University and Northumbria University have developed a biodegradable, wearable material made from the root-like threads of fungi that can repair itself. The material, produced from the Ganoderma lucidum fungus, could be used as a substitute for leather and has potential applications in furniture, automotive seats, and fashionwear. The process of creating the material needs to be scaled up and sped up before it can be used in clothing. The material is made from a mix of mycelia, chlamydospores, carbohydrates, proteins, and other nutrients in a liquid that encourages the growth of a skin that can be removed and dried.

via ScienceAlert|

#fungi #mycelium #science-and-technology