Fungi may not think, but they can communicate
Fungi form distinct networks depending on how food sources are arranged. Fungi can be enigmatic organisms. Mushrooms or other structures may be visible above the soil, but beneath.....»»
The rise of pelagic fungi and their crucial role in oceanic ecosystems
Fungi play a vital and previously neglected role in the complex tapestry of marine ecosystems, a study by Eva Breyer and Federico Baltar of the University of Vienna reveals. The results have now been published in the journal Trends in Ecology & Evolu.....»»
Symbiotic and pathogenic fungi may use similar molecular tools to manipulate plants
Symbiotic and pathogenic fungi that interact with plants are distantly related and don't share many genetic similarities. Comparing plant pathogenic fungi and plant symbiotic fungi, scientists at the Sainsbury Laboratory Cambridge University (SLCU) h.....»»
Revealing the secrets of freshwater streams
Beneath the surface of a freshwater stream, animals, plants, fungi, and microorganisms create complex patterns of biodiversity. Brooke Penaluna, research fisheries biologist at the USDA Forest Service Pacific Northwest Research Station, studies these.....»»
Research is the first to unlock the secret of microbial slime
The slimy outer layer of fungi and bacteria known as the "extracellular matrix," or ECM, has the consistency of jelly and acts as a protective and envelope layer. But, according to a recent study in the journal iScience, led by the University of Mass.....»»
Future Apple iPhone cases could do much more than just protect your device
Apple is researching how to build iPhone cases that communicate with the device inside them to show battery level, authenticate you for automatic unlocking, and so much more.Mockup of battery cases, one with a battery charge indicatorYou're used to b.....»»
Nanorobotic system presents new options for targeting fungal infections
Infections caused by fungi, such as Candida albicans, pose a significant global health risk due to their resistance to existing treatments, so much so that the World Health Organization has highlighted this as a priority issue......»»
Plastic-eating fungi thriving in man-made "plastisphere" may help tackle global waste
A new study published in the Journal of Hazardous Materials by researchers at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, and partners has identified a diverse microbiome of plastic-degrading fungi and bacteria in the coastal salt marshes of Jiangsu, China......»»
Drug-resistant ringworm reported in US for first time; community spread likely
The newly emerging fungal pathogen is often misidentified in common lab tests. Enlarge / A Trichophyton indotineae infection on the back of an Indian man. (credit: Uhrlaß, S. et al. Journal of Fungi) A dermatologist in.....»»
New imaging approach visualizes how applying force to proteins alters complex formations
Most researchers today understand biology through the principles of biochemistry. Cells communicate and activate processes via chemical signals, and traditional medicine has long focused on how to treat disease by modifying those signals......»»
Lickable toads and magic mushrooms: Wildlife traded on the dark web is the kind that gets you high
The internet has made it easier for people to buy and sell a huge variety of wildlife—from orchids, cacti and fungi to thousands of birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians and fish, as well as insects, corals and other invertebrates......»»
Chimpanzees combine calls to communicate new meaning
A key feature of human language is our ability to combine words into larger compositional phrases, where the meaning of the whole is related to the meaning of the parts. Where this ability came from or how it evolved, however, is less clear......»»
How do Candida auris and other fungi develop drug resistance? A microbiologist explains
One of the scariest things you can be told when at a doctor's office is "You have an antimicrobial-resistant infection." That means the bacteria or fungus making you sick can't be easily killed with common antibiotics or antifungals, making treatment.....»»
Biden buttons up his new campaign branding for a tough fight
President Biden is officially running for reelection. Can his branding communicate that he’s up for the task? President Joe Biden is officially running for reelection with a new logo that shows the red stripe “E” in his last nam.....»»
Mushrooms and their post-rain, electrical conversations
Certain fungi play a critical role in the ecological sustenance of forest trees. Ectomycorrhizal fungi are one such example. Commonly found on pine, oak, and birch trees, ectomycorrhizal fungi form a sheath around the outside of tree roots, and their.....»»
Snowballing effects of beech leaf disease hurt helpful root fungi
The American beech, Fagus grandifolia, is a North American staple and the dominant species in many northeastern forests. In 2012, a new disease was first spotted, infecting trees in northeastern Ohio. The worst afflicted had dark banding on their lea.....»»
Carmakers win use of airwaves for advanced safety system
US regulators cleared automakers to use systems that let vehicles communicate wirelessly with one another, offering a path forward for life-saving technology after years of disputes that saw Detroit lose airwaves to Silicon Valley......»»
Using solar farms to generate fresh desert soil crust
In the arid regions of the American Southwest, an unseen world lies beneath our feet. Biocrusts, or biological soil crusts, are communities of living organisms. These industrious microbes include cyanobacteria, green algae, fungi, lichens, and mosses.....»»
Fungal genetics could help develop novel biotechnologies
An essential pillar of Earth's ecological system, fungi have long been used to better the lives of humans. While these organisms are still vastly understudied, a new review paper suggests that their unique genomes could be used to make progress in th.....»»
Astronomers create AI to better communicate their stellar research
An international team of scientists, led by a researcher at The University of Manchester, have developed a novel AI (artificial intelligence) approach to distill technical astronomy terminology into simple understandable English in their recent publi.....»»
Fungi makes a meal of hard-to-recycle plastic
Polypropylene, a hard-to-recycle plastic, has successfully been biodegraded by two strains of fungi in a new experiment led by researchers at the University of Sydney......»»