Around 500 million years ago, aquatic plants began heading towards land, but they could not live there by themselves. To survive without being underwater, they evolved, which became their root systems for the next tens of millions of years. Plants later gained the ability to grow their own roots and live independently, but around 90% of plants still depended for hundreds of millions of years on symbiotic fungi.
However, the planet was transforming, and early plants consumed much of the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, with levels decreasing by 90%. This set the air conditions that we now have today. However, humans are now polluting the air, which is slowly but surely increasing carbon dioxide levels. Scientists are therefore hoping that the fungi can once again sustain our lives.
Interest in fungi has dramatically increased recently, for a few reasons. We now know more than we used to, thanks to technological developments that have let us study them much more closely. Plus, awareness about the fundamental interconnectedness of the world has grown, increasing the prominence of ecology in academics and other popular discourses.
According the New York Times, mycelium is ecological connective tissue; it reminds us that all life-forms, humans included, are bound up within seething networks of relationships, some visible and some less so. This newfound fungal interest also reflects the incredible power of networks.
Fungi have many benefits, as they help us adapt in life and are very beneficial to the Earth’s ecosystem. For example, fungi can produce antiviral compounds that can reduce colony collapse disorder in honeybees. They can also break down toxic pollutants, and use their ability of microfabrication, which lets fungi produce materials ranging from leather to brick.
However, the planet was transforming, and early plants consumed much of the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, with levels decreasing by 90%. This set the air conditions that we now have today. However, humans are now polluting the air, which is slowly but surely increasing carbon dioxide levels. Scientists are therefore hoping that the fungi can once again sustain our lives.
Interest in fungi has dramatically increased recently, for a few reasons. We now know more than we used to, thanks to technological developments that have let us study them much more closely. Plus, awareness about the fundamental interconnectedness of the world has grown, increasing the prominence of ecology in academics and other popular discourses.
According the New York Times, mycelium is ecological connective tissue; it reminds us that all life-forms, humans included, are bound up within seething networks of relationships, some visible and some less so. This newfound fungal interest also reflects the incredible power of networks.
Fungi have many benefits, as they help us adapt in life and are very beneficial to the Earth’s ecosystem. For example, fungi can produce antiviral compounds that can reduce colony collapse disorder in honeybees. They can also break down toxic pollutants, and use their ability of microfabrication, which lets fungi produce materials ranging from leather to brick.
