RenoVous

  Scientists have discovered a hidden ecosystem deep beneath Michigan and the Great Lakes. Subsurface water samples contained 689 distinct fungal species, including 13 that have never been formally described.   "We propose in the paper that we may be meaningfully underestimating the biomass and diversity of fungi on the planet because we've never incorporated the subsurface into estimates of global fungi biodiversity," says doctoral candidate, Quinn Moon. This also means subsurface carbon could be more biologically active than previously thought, with these organisms transforming the ancient material into gas. The samples also included tardigrades, rotifers, and tiny segmented worms, which suggests an underground food web. The study focused on the Antrim Shale, an organic-rich rock formation buried beneath much of the Great Lakes region.  The water itself was evaluated and determined to be from ice sheets that melted across Michigan, "last in contact with the surface...

 This is the cotton bollworm - an agricultural pest, but a potential hero in biodegradation. Polyesterene is a huge problem in our landfills, and scientists have found plenty of insects capable of eating the plastic, but it was unclear how they were breaking it down. Biochemists have discovered four types of fungi in the guts of cotton bollworm larvae which appear to play the part. After testing each with a film of Styrofoam over 60 days, they were especially surprised by Taloromyces, which was able to grow on the film, meaning it used it as a carbon/food source. Researchers will be seeking to learn the chemical processes involved, including which enzymes, to determine if the fungi is actually digesting the plastic or just breaking it down into smaller pieces, and what the byproducts of those reactions might be.

  Found this big boy on a walk through the forest we were camping in - if my research is correct, it is an amanita aprica, which grows in a mycorrhizal association with Doulgas fir and pines. Mycorrhizae are a symbiotic relationship between plant roots and fungi. These ones are harder to identify. A search regarding mushrooms on tree bark with moss did not return any clear results.  They could be puffballs. I came across a local foraging expert and cookbook author, Hank Shaw. Hunt Gather Cook And he recommends  this  pocket guide. Shaw states that foraging is a matter of time, not difficulty, but of course one must be cautious as well.  "You start with a very few edible mushrooms you are looking for, and you expand your knowledge bit by bit."  For the fall, he suggests keeping an eye out for porcinis. Podcast: Get into Mushroom Hunting

  Fungi packaging is the styrofoam replacement we need. Mycelium is combined with agricultural feedstock, such as hemp hurds, to create water-resistant and insulating material.  It is 100% biodegradable, composting in about 30 days when added to soil. Companies such as IKEA and Dell have already committed to the change.  There appears to be quite a few companies in the business of making such products, such as Ecovative. "We are reducing plastic pollution with the power of mushrooms." Link It appears this isn't breaking news, but I only just heard about IKEA. And hey, #FungiFriday Mycelium is the root structure of mushrooms, and here it is spreading.

 Under the ground, across the whole planet, is a network of fungal threads called mycelium. These connect different plants, and different species, across a forest floor. They will help plants locate water and will direct nutrients when needed.  Trees can warn one another about infestation so they can produce the chemicals that will protect them.  The plants interact and help one another survive.  It's even been suggested that plants and fungi can identify their spawn, and specifically supply nutrients to make sure they thrive through the network. "It holds the consciousness of nature's connection to all living things." It is much like our own consciousness, the neural networks in our brains that keep our bodies functioning and acting. It is also much like the internet, a superhighway of vital information, the web of life. Mycelium's vast structural network is responsible for creating top soil, decomposing plant debris, and providing nutrients to the plants and t...

 #FungiFriday Ice Hair occurs when ice crystals meet a fungus called Exidiopsis effusa. It grows on humid winter nights when the temperature is just below freezing. The fibers can grow up to 8 inches long and are about the same thickness as human hair. Scientists believe the process involves a "recrystallization inhibitor" provided by the fungus. Chemical analysis suggests that as the fungus breaks down the wood, it produces complex molecules like lignin and tannin, which can mix with liquid water and stops the ice strands from bunching up. The hairs form along the wood rays, not on the bark.  Wood rays are cellular structures found in some wood species, and are perpendicular to the growth rings, radiating from the center of the log. IFLScience Insta Wiki

  This started out as a Fungi Friday search but it turns out slime mold is no longer considered part of that kingdom, (they are now considered Protista).  Slime mold is an informal name given to several kinds of eukaryotic organisms that can live freely as single cells but can also aggregate together to form multicellular structures.  Here we see the mold appearing to breathe - it is the cellular components "shuttling" around in a process known as cytoplasmic streaming, or shuttle streaming.  This is the mold coming together to form a multicellular structure, and it is usually done when food is scarce or to reproduce. Some scientists believe the molds have a capacity to learn from experience and change their behavior, even though they don't have a brain or central nervous system.  In fact, a study in 2016 did show that they learn to avoid caffeine, and they can pass on this knowledge to new cells that fuse with the structure. The yellow is the more common "dog v...

Cryptococcus neoformans, radiotrophic fungi found on the walls of Chernobyl's reactor. Scientists have known about this fungus since 2007 - it decomposes radioactive material such as the hot graphite in the remains of the reactor.  Very dark melanin pigment absorbs radiation and processes it harmlessly for energy.  Scientists hope to mimic this process for radiation/sun blocking as well as for a renewable energy source. Outside the exclusion zone, the fungi has less melanin, suggesting it adapted to the radiation.  Other studies have shown that the fungi grows faster with the radiation, and they point their spores towards the source - they love it. NASA has been researching this and have been growing the fungus on board the International Space Station.  The ambient radiation there is high compared to Earth's surface, and understanding how we could use the fungus has great potential for future space travel. Radiation Reference: On average, we ar...