Photo: Bernard Spragg, NZ, Christchurch, Wikimedia Commons
sciencemagazine (via Instagram)
Those unassuming fungi underfoot might be chatting with one another using pulses of electricity.
Researchers inserted tiny electrodes into patches of growing fungi and recorded the electrical activity exchanged between the organisms by nutrient-absorbing structures called hyphae, The Guardian reported in 2022. The electrical pulses passed between mushrooms clustered in patterns that resembled up to 50 words, the team wrote in Royal Society Open Science.
Although the researchers posit the “language” could be used to share info about injury or food availability with distant parts of themselves, they also tell The Guardian the pulses could be meaningless.
2. They grow!
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Mushrooms had leggy stalks due to lack of fresh air indoors and had it contained to retain moisture.The oyster mushrooms in this video were not eaten as we don’t know the chemicals used to print this old phone book (old inks contain heavy metals). This video demonstrates how oyster mushrooms grow on various kinds of substrates including paper. This phone book is made from recycled paper and sawdust.
Oyster mushrooms (Pleurotus ostreatus) are saprophytic, meaning they feed on decaying organic matter like wood and other plant debris which are made of cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin. The mycelium or vegetative part of the mushroom secretes enzymes and acids to decompose these substances releasing nutrients it can absorb. There are a few parasitic oyster mushrooms and some eat bacteria and nematodes. Oyster mushrooms are used in mycoremediation and are known to remove contaminants in soil, water, and wastewater.
* The holes on the lid of the container were covered with micropore tape.
To prevent/minimize contamination, make sure your working area and tools are clean and sanitized. We sprayed and wiped the counter, container, lid, and tongs with 70% isopropyl alcohol and wore gloves and disposable face masks.
3. They make fashion
Ewa Maria and Friends 