Tag

Fungi

All articles tagged with #fungi

science5 days ago•19 min saved

Climate Change Could Spread Deadly Aspergillus Fungus Worldwide

A new study using climate models warns that Aspergillus fungi, including A. fumigatus, could expand their geographic range as temperatures rise, increasing risk of invasive infections in people and mycotoxin-related crop losses. The spread is amplified by azole resistance driven by overlapping use of antifungicides in agriculture and medicine. Experts call for coordinated monitoring, better diagnostics, and stronger climate action to limit spread and mitigate health and agricultural impacts.

via Earth.com|

#aspergillus #climate-change #drug-resistance

science11 days ago•21 min saved

Devonian Colossus Prototaxites Reclassified as a Mystery Life Form

A new study re-examines Prototaxites taiti, a 26-foot Devonian fossil, and finds it does not match any known fungus, plant, or animal, instead representing a previously undescribed extinct group of eukaryotes, making it one of evolution’s most enigmatic life forms.

via Earth.com|

#devonian #fungi #paleontology

science26 days ago•5 min saved

Fungi weaponize plant defenses to combat bark beetles

Researchers from the Max Planck Institute showed that certain Beauveria bassiana strains can infect and kill bark beetles by detoxifying spruce tree defense chemicals (stilbenes and flavonoids). The fungus converts these compounds into less protective forms through two phases, first removing sugar to form aglycones and then methylating them to methylglucosides, which avoids the plant defenses and enables infection. Gene knockouts of the detoxification pathways reduce virulence, indicating these defenses are bypassable. Other fungi, like Cordyceps militaris, may use similar tricks, suggesting a future in biocontrol where fungi replace some chemical insecticides.

via Ars Technica|

#bark-beetles #biology #fungi

science27 days ago•2 min saved

Cobalt Crust Fungus Reappears on Isle of Man After 50-Year Gap

Three sightings of the rare blue fungus Terana caerulea, or Cobalt Crust, have been recorded on the Isle of Man this year—the first since 1976—found on dead wood in Onchan with reports from Andreas and Baldrine; experts say more people searching for fungi and favorable weather are driving the sightings, and while the fungus helps recycle nutrients and has historical medicinal use, its exact means of transport to the island remains a mystery.

via BBC|

#biodiversity #cobalt-crust #fungi

science-and-technology1 month ago•6 min saved

Truffles hitchhike to new habitats through animal meals

Truffles, underground fruiting bodies of fungi, cannot release spores into the air. Instead they rely on animals eating them and transporting the spores through digestion, depositing them elsewhere and enabling the fungi to spread across ecosystems.

via The Economist|

#animal-mediated-dispersal #ecology #fungi

science1 month ago•4 min saved

Ancient Prototaxites Defies Modern Lineages

New analyses of Prototaxites fossils suggest the giant Silurian–Devonian structures belong to an entirely extinct branch of eukaryotes, not fungi, plants, algae, or animals, making Prototaxites a fossil anomaly resistant to placement on the tree of life.

via ScienceAlert|

#eukaryotes #extinct #fungi

science2 months ago•3 min saved

Fungi Began Complex Life, Not Plants or Animals

Fungi were the first complex life forms on Earth, evolving before plants and animals, initially thriving in aquatic environments and later adapting to land, forming symbiotic relationships and networks that set the stage for the emergence of plants and animals.

via Big Think|

#aquatic-organisms #early-life #evolution

biology2 months ago•29 min saved

Exploring the Biodiversity and Evolution of Mushroom-Forming Fungi

This article reviews the current research on mushroom-forming fungi, covering their biodiversity, genomics, ecological roles, and evolutionary history, highlighting recent discoveries in their symbiosis, decay mechanisms, and biogeography.

via Nature|

#biodiversity #biology #ecology

science-and-environment3 months ago•6 min saved

Scientists Uncover the Engineering Marvels of Fungi

Scientists are exploring the potential of fungi, particularly mycelium, to address environmental challenges such as plastic waste and pollution, with innovations like fungi-activated diapers that could decompose plastics within a year and fungi-based materials for packaging, insulation, and chemical production, highlighting fungi's versatility as nature's original engineers.

via The Guardian|

#biodegradable #environmental-innovation #fungi

home-and-garden3 months ago•3 min saved

Gardeners Urged to Watch for Lawn Mushrooms and How to Handle Them

Mushrooms often appear in lawns during wet weather and can be harmless or toxic. To manage them, remove mushrooms promptly with gloves and keep the lawn dry and well-maintained to prevent future growth. While beneficial for soil health, caution is advised if pets or children are around, and expert identification is recommended for safety.

via Tom's Guide|

#fungi #garden-tips #home-and-garden

technology4 months ago•1 min saved

Mushrooms as Eco-Friendly Computer Memory Solutions

Researchers at Ohio State University have developed a method to use fungi, specifically shiitake and button mushroom mycelium, as organic memristors, which could lead to environmentally friendly and sustainable components for future computing devices, leveraging the natural properties of fungi to store electrical states.

via Hackaday|

#computing #fungi #memristors

health4 months ago•5 min saved

Hidden Inside You: The Impact of Internal Fungi on Health

The article discusses the mycobiome, the fungal component of our microbiome, highlighting its presence in the gut, skin, and other body parts, its impact on health, and its potential links to diseases like infections, inflammatory bowel disease, and possibly neurodegenerative disorders, emphasizing the need for further research.

via ScienceAlert|

#candida #fungi #gut-health

science4 months ago•3 min saved

Living Fungi Bandages: The Future of Wound Healing

Scientists at the University of Utah have developed a living hydrogel from the soil fungus Marquandomyces marquandii, which could potentially be used for wound healing and tissue regeneration due to its multilayered, water-retaining, and biocompatible properties, marking a significant step toward bio-integrated medical materials.

via ScienceAlert|

#biomedical-materials #fungi #hydrogel

health4 months ago•4 min saved

Hidden Mouth Bacteria Triples Deadly Cancer Risk

A study finds that certain bacteria and fungi in the mouth can increase the risk of pancreatic cancer by more than three times, highlighting the importance of good oral hygiene and potential for microbiome profiling in cancer prevention.

via AOL.com|

#bacteria #cancer-risk #fungi

health5 months ago•2 min saved

Poor Oral Hygiene May Significantly Increase Pancreatic Cancer Risk

A study suggests that poor oral hygiene, specifically the presence of certain bacteria and fungi in the mouth, can significantly increase the risk of developing pancreatic cancer, highlighting the importance of dental care in cancer prevention.

via The Independent|

#bacteria #cancer-risk #fungi