Fungi are a major eukaryotic lineage studied across biological topics for their distinct cellular organization, ecological roles, and interactions with other organisms. They possess chitinous cell walls, typically form filamentous hyphae organized into mycelia, and reproduce via diverse sexual and asexual spores. Fungi function as principal decomposers of organic matter, key symbionts in mycorrhizal and lichen associations, and potent pathogens of plants, animals, and humans. Their metabolic versatility underpins numerous biotechnological and research applications, including model systems for genetics and cell biology, production of enzymes and secondary metabolites, and regulation of nutrient cycling in ecosystems.
Orchid seeds are as small as dust and do not provide any nutrients for the young plant to grow. The adult plants are known to rely on a certain type of fungi that develop structures within the plant's roots, but whether these ...
Ecology
Oct 8, 2025
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106
Foragers have been harvesting wild mushrooms in what is now Pennsylvania and the rest of the U.S. Mid-Atlantic region for centuries, but the extent and specifics of the practice in the region had not been formally studied.
Plants & Animals
Oct 8, 2025
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66
The human body is made up mostly of water. If this water is removed, the body's cells cannot survive, even when water is reintroduced. But some organisms can completely dry out yet return to life when rehydrated.
Cell & Microbiology
Oct 7, 2025
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42
Magic mushrooms have been used in traditional ceremonies and for recreational purposes for thousands of years. However, a new study has found that mushrooms evolved the ability to make the same psychoactive substance twice. ...
Evolution
Oct 1, 2025
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36
New research published in Nature Ecology & Evolution sheds light on the timelines and pathways of evolution of fungi, finding evidence of their influence on ancient terrestrial ecosystems. The study, led by researchers from ...
Evolution
Oct 1, 2025
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199
A common soil fungus could help farmers reduce their reliance on synthetic fungicides, new research suggests, by producing natural airborne chemicals that suppress devastating plant diseases.
Cell & Microbiology
Sep 29, 2025
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28
Some species of termites are known to cultivate their own crops of fungus within their nests, similar to the way humans maintain farms to feed people. One such species is Odontotermes obesus, which cultivates the fungus Termitomyces. ...
The yeast fungus Candida albicans not only uses the toxin candidalysin to cause infections, but also to colonize the oral mucosa inconspicuously—but only in finely balanced amounts. Too little toxin prevents oral colonization, ...
Cell & Microbiology
Sep 26, 2025
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32
Subways don't just bring people together. They're also a hub of microbial activity, including fungi. Over the course of a year, an international team of researchers collected air samples from 15 stations in the Beijing subway ...
Ecology
Sep 25, 2025
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409
In a study published in the New Phytologist, researchers from the Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden (XTBG) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences synthesized decades of research on fungicides through a global meta-analysis, ...
Plants & Animals
Sep 10, 2025
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