Mycology is the branch of biological sciences dedicated to the study of fungi, including true fungi (kingdom Fungi) and traditionally associated fungal-like organisms. It encompasses the taxonomy, systematics, phylogeny, morphology, physiology, genetics, and ecology of fungi, as well as their biochemical pathways and secondary metabolites. Mycological research investigates fungal reproduction, development, and interactions with other organisms, such as symbioses (e.g., mycorrhizae, lichens), pathogenesis in plants, animals, and humans, and roles in decomposition and nutrient cycling. The discipline also underpins applied fields including medical mycology, industrial fermentation, biotechnology, agriculture, food science, and environmental monitoring and remediation.
Like many mushroom harvesters, I got interested in foraging for fungi during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Plants & Animals
Nov 24, 2025
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15
Several species of tiny fungi completely new to science—and all from Alberta—have been discovered through University of Alberta research.
Ecology
Nov 20, 2025
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32
A Chinese plant scientist at the University of Michigan who drew national attention in June 2025 when she was arrested and accused along with another Chinese scientist of smuggling a crop-damaging fungus into the U.S. pleaded ...
Cell & Microbiology
Nov 13, 2025
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107
The golden oyster mushroom, with bright yellow pillowy caps, are a popular buy that are sold in grow-your-own kits as well as standard grocery stores, farmer and gourmet markets. A University of Florida researcher warns it ...
Plants & Animals
Nov 4, 2025
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1327
Rot development during fruit storage is a problem. Now, metabarcoding may become a tool for detecting fungi that can cause diseases in apples.
Molecular & Computational biology
Nov 4, 2025
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15
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
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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37
An international team of scientists, including from Rothamsted Research, have developed a new method to improve the accuracy of gene mapping in complex organisms—a breakthrough that could enhance research into fungal diseases ...
Molecular & Computational biology
Sep 23, 2025
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22
Many scientific discoveries are serendipitous—the result of chance. Seeing evolution in action in a cheese cave turned out to be exactly that for Benjamin Wolfe, associate professor of biology, and his colleagues.
Molecular & Computational biology
Sep 13, 2025
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274
Brewer's yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) is a cornerstone of industrial biotechnology. Its exceptional adaptability to diverse natural and industrial environments has led to the emergence of a wide variety of strains, each ...
Biotechnology
Aug 20, 2025
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26
