Slime molds are not actually fungi at all, but they are brainless predators
In HBO's post-apocalyptic drama "The Last of Us," human civilization has fallen in the face of a fungal takeover triggered by climate change......»»
iPhone 16 molds reveal change to MagSafe charging ring
A French website has obtained what appear to be molds of the iPhone 16 line-up, showing what appears to be a small but still notable change to the MagSafe charging ring. The molds also reflect the changes we’re expecting to see to the camera lay.....»»
Antimicrobial peptide from cows shows potential for treating hypervirulent bacteria
University of Central Florida College of Medicine researcher Renee Fleeman is on a mission to kill drug-resistant bacteria, and her latest study has identified a therapy that can penetrate the slime that such infections use to protect themselves from.....»»
Researchers turn to two crops to tackle environmental harm of apparel made with synthetic fibers
From risottos to sauces, mushrooms have long been a staple in the kitchen. Now fungi are showing the potential to serve up more than just flavor—as a sustainable, bendy material for the fashion industry......»»
Uncovering the diversity of Micropsalliota: Seven new species and one newly recorded species in southern China
Species of Micropsalliota (Basidiomycota, Agaricomycetes, Agaricales, Agaricaceae) are mainly distributed in tropical and /or subtropical regions. These fungi are saprophytic in general and can decompose lignin and cellulose, and thus have significan.....»»
Scientists map soil RNA to fungal genomes to understand forest ecosystems
If a tree falls in the forest—whether or not anyone registers the sound—one thing is for sure: there are lots of fungi around. Within a forest's soil, hundreds of species decompose debris, mobilize nutrients from that decay, and deliver those nut.....»»
The fungi in our guts can make cases of COVID worse
The immune system can get kicked into overdrive when the fungi run riot. Enlarge / Computer illustration of Candida fungi. (credit: Kateryna Kon | Science Photo Library | Getty) Fungi are an indispensable part of your mi.....»»
The fungi in our guts can make cases of Covid worse
The immune system can get kicked into overdrive when the fungi run riot. Enlarge / Computer illustration of Candida fungi. (credit: Kateryna Kon | Science Photo Library | Getty) Fungi are an indispensable part of your mi.....»»
Unruly Gut Fungi Can Make Your Covid Worse
An infection can upset your microbiome, and if certain gut fungi run riot, this can kick the immune system into overdrive......»»
Mycoheterotrophic plants as a key to the "Wood Wide Web"
Bayreuth researchers shed light on the natural evidence for the occurrence and function of networks of fungi and plants—so-called mycorrhizal networks. Through this "Wood Wide Web," plants can exchange resources and even information with each other.....»»
Scientists discover new phage resistance mechanism in phage-bacterial arms race
One of the most abundant and deadliest organisms on Earth is a virus called a bacteriophage (phage). These predators have lethal precision against their targets—not humans, but bacteria. Different phages have evolved to target different bacteria an.....»»
How insect blood stops bleeding fast
Their blood equivalent, hemolymph, forms a viscoelastic fluid that covers wounds. Enlarge (credit: Weber) What if human blood turned into a sort of rubbery slime that can bounce back into a wound and stop it from bleedin.....»»
An inside look at how plants and mycorrhizal fungi cooperate
For millions of years, underground fungi have lived in symbiosis with plant roots. Plants provide photosynthesized carbon, while fungi deliver water and nutrients. In order to do so, these organisms share space at the cellular scale: fungi stretch a.....»»
Amphibians use scream inaudible to humans for self-defense against predators, study suggests
A study reported in the journal acta ethologica has recorded the use of ultrasound by amphibians for the first time in South America. It also describes the first documented case of the use of ultrasound for defense against predators, in a distress ca.....»»
These Women Came to Antarctica for Science. Then the Predators Emerged
Jane Willenbring was the first to blow the whistle on sexual harassment and assault in Antarctica. Years later, women are still coming forward with tales of horror as a government investigation unfolds......»»
“Pink slime” local news outlets erupt all over US as election nears
Number of partisan news sites roughly equals those doing actual, legitimate journalism. Enlarge / Chicago City Wire is a hyper-partisan website masquerading as an outlet that does journalism. (credit: FT Montage) The num.....»»
Myrtle rust is lethal to Australian plants. Could citizen scientists help track its spread?
Every weekend, thousands of citizen scientists head into the great outdoors. If they see an unusual animal, plant or fungi, they take a photo and upload it......»»
Ancient Adélie penguin DNA reveals that small repeats persist for hundreds of millions of years
Microsatellites are valuable tools for studying inheritance, genetic diversity, and population dynamics across a wide range of organisms including bacteria, plants, animals, and fungi. These short, repeating sequence motifs are a common feature of bo.....»»
Male and female crab spiders found to "cooperate" to mimic a flower to fool prey and predators
A pair of environmental scientists at Yunnan University, in China, has found an instance of a pair of spiders, one male, the other female, working together to create the image of a flower, thereby fooling both prey and predators......»»
Unseen travelers: Dust storms may spread bacteria and fungi around the world
When allergy season hits, many blame their reactions on the local flora in the spring. However, African Saharan-Sahelian dust plumes, large enough to register on weather radar, travel around the globe every summer, bringing their own form of air poll.....»»
The best games we played at PAX East 2024: zombies, slime, and more
We searched high and low on the PAX show floor and behind closed doors to bring you this list of games well worth keeping an eye on......»»