Blight review: The threat of a fungi-fuelled pandemic
19 July 2023
A new guide argues that infectious fungi and fungus-like pathogens are the most devastating causes of disease on Earth
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Premium
Sheets of fungus could be used as eco-friendly fireproofing for homes
19 July 2023
Fungi can be pressed into thin sheets that resist fire by forming a protective coating of char, and they could be turned into fireproofing materials for buildings
Underground fungi absorb up to a third of our fossil fuel emissions
5 June 2023
Researchers estimate that plants transfer more than 13 gigatonnes of carbon dioxide each year to mycorrhizal fungi, which grow around their roots
Fungus that kills frogs and salamanders is rapidly spreading in Africa
15 March 2023
Across Africa there has been a surge in a fungus that causes heart failure in amphibians over the past two decades, which could devastate the continent’s amphibians as it has elsewhere
Ecologists are infecting trees with fungi to make them age prematurely
14 March 2023
Many species depend on the cavities inside veteran trees, but such spaces are in short supply. Researchers are exploring ways to make young trees old before their time
Adding wild fungi to soil could make trees store more carbon
1 March 2023
A loblolly pine plantation in the state of Georgia is the test site for a start-up company trying to see if improving the fungi and other microbes in soil can help trees grow bigger and faster
Do trees communicate via a 'wood wide web'? The evidence is lacking
13 February 2023
A review of studies on mycorrhizal fungi finds there is insufficient evidence for the popular idea that trees communicate and share resources via these underground networks
Fake mushroom experiment reveals why some fungi glow in the dark
24 January 2023
Why some mushrooms are bioluminescent remains uncertain, but a study using LED lights adds to the evidence they attract insects that help the fungus disperse its spores
Oyster mushroom fungus uses nerve gas to paralyse and eat tiny worms
18 January 2023
The fungus that produces oyster mushrooms preys on tiny animals by releasing a paralysing nerve gas called 3-octanone before growing into their bodies
Computer chip made using mushroom skin could be easily recycled
11 November 2022
The base of computer chips and batteries tends to be made from unrecyclable plastic, but using skin from a certain species of mushroom instead would reduce electronic waste
