Research Keyword: Mycelium

Hierarchical Structure of the Program Used by Filamentous Fungi to Navigate in Confining Microenvironments

Fungi navigating through tight spaces like soil use sophisticated biological programs similar to computer algorithms. Researchers studied how three fungal species move through confined microfluidic channels, discovering they use a three-level system: individual threads sense passages and remember direction, groups of threads avoid each other and share resources, and entire fungal networks solve problems through local independent decisions. This hierarchical approach efficiently explores space while balancing energy use.

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Anisotropic Growth of Filamentous Fungi in Wood Hydrogel Composites Increases Mechanical Properties

Researchers created strong, eco-friendly composite materials by growing fungi inside delignified wood. The fungi naturally aligned with the wood fiber structure, which significantly strengthened the resulting material. By adjusting the type of wood, fungal species, and nutrient content, scientists could fine-tune the material properties. These sustainable composites show promise for use in building materials and packaging applications.

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