Fantastic Fungi

Have you ever eaten a mushroom pizza? If so, you’ve tasted a fungus—a strange, spongy life-form that’s neither an animal nor a plant. Mushrooms, mold, and yeast are some of the most well-known types of fungi. But there are millions of species, from single microscopic cells to tangled masses as big as whole towns!

Though they can sometimes look like plants, fungi are more closely related to animals, explains Sydney Glassman, an ecologist who studies fungi at the University of California, Riverside. Many have a dirty but important job for the environment. When plants and animals die, fungi move in to break them down and recycle their nutrients. “If fungi didn’t exist, you’d  be up to your ears in dead stuff,” says Glassman.

Have you ever eaten a mushroom pizza? If so, you’ve tasted a fungus. This strange, spongy life-form is neither an animal nor a plant. Mushrooms, mold, and yeast are all types of fungi. There are millions of species in total. Some are single cells invisible to the naked eye. Others are giant masses as big as whole towns!

Fungi can sometimes look like plants. But they’re more closely related to animals, explains Sydney Glassman. She’s an ecologist who studies fungi at the University of California, Riverside. Many fungi have a dirty but important job, she says. When plants and animals die, fungi break them down. This recycles the nutrients in their bodies. “If fungi didn’t exist, you’d  be up to your ears in dead stuff,” says Glassman.

Scientists estimate that there are at least 2.2 million species of fungi on Earth. But only a small fraction of those—about 7 percent—have officially been identified. Scientists like Glassman are eager to learn more about the huge variety of fungi around the world. Fungi could help people make environmentally friendly materials, discover new medicines, and more!

Scientists think there are at least 2.2 million species of fungi. But only about 7 percent of them have been identified. Scientists like Glassman want to learn more about fungi around the world. Fungi could help people make new materials, discover new medicines, and more!

Growing up in Southern California, Veerabahu wasn’t very aware of fungi. The organisms tend to thrive in forested areas, and she didn’t see any in her suburban neighborhood. But after college, she worked as an environmental educator in New York’s Adirondack Mountains. She started spotting strange and fascinating fungi in the woods.

“Every single one I found was different—a new color, a new size, a new texture,” she says. Some of the fungi were bright red and cup-shaped. Others were small, brown, and wrinkly, like shriveled brains. Veerabahu wanted to know more about the species she was seeing, but she often couldn’t even find their names. “It was the first time in my life that Google didn’t have answers for me,” she says. That mystery drew Veerabahu to study fungi professionally.

Today, researchers are identifying about 2,000 new species of fungi each year. Some have surprising and spectacular capabilities. Scientists in Brazil have found at least a dozen new species of mushrooms that glow in the dark!

Veerabahu grew up in Southern California. She wasn’t very aware of fungi, she says. Fungi often thrive in forests. She didn’t see any in her suburban neighborhood. But after college, she started working in the Adirondack Mountains in New York. She started spotting strange and fascinating fungi in the woods.

“Every single one I found was different,” she says. “It could be a new color, a new size, or a new texture.” Some fungi were bright red and cup-shaped. Others looked like shriveled brains. Veerabahu wanted to know more about the species she was seeing. But she often couldn’t even find their names. “It was the first time in my life that Google didn’t have answers for me,” she says. That inspired Veerabahu to study fungi professionally.

Today researchers are busy identifying new species of fungi. They name about 2,000 new species each year. Some have surprising characteristics. Scientists in Brazil have found new species of mushrooms that glow in the dark!

Some people find fungi creepy or think all fungi are dangerous. It’s true that some species do produce poisonous mushrooms, cause dangerous infections, or make food rot. But fungi also do a lot of good, says Glassman. Yeast, a single-celled fungus, helps make bread fluffy. Certain molds give flavor to foods like soy sauce and blue cheese. Some companies are even figuring out how to use fungi to make eco-friendly packaging materials that naturally break down over time (see Cool Things Made of Fungi, below).

Fungi also produce many chemical compounds as they break down food and defend against other organisms. Some of these are used to make lifesaving medicines. Undiscovered species might contain chemicals with benefits we don’t even know about. Scientists say that’s one reason it’s important to continue studying them.

If you still aren’t a fan of fungi, Veerabahu gets it—she hasn’t always been, either. She didn’t even like eating mushrooms until after she started working with them. But if you don’t appreciate them now, Veerabahu suggests taking another look. “Walk out into the forest and see all the different types in their natural setting,” she says. “And tell me that isn’t just the coolest thing.”

Some people think all fungi are dangerous. There are species that grow poisonous mushrooms, cause diseases, or spoil our food. But fungi also do good things, says Glassman. Yeast, a single-celled fungus, makes bread fluffy. Certain molds help us make foods like soy sauce and blue cheese. Some companies are even figuring out how to use fungi to make eco-friendly packaging. Unlike plastic, these materials naturally break down over time.

Fungi also produce many chemicals. They use them to break down food and defend against other organisms. But people have turned some of these chemicals into lifesaving medicines. Undiscovered species might contain chemicals with similar benefits. That’s one reason it’s important to continue studying them.

If you still aren’t a fan of fungi, Veerabahu gets it. She hasn’t always liked them, either. She didn’t even eat mushrooms until recently. But if you don’t appreciate them now, Veerabahu suggests taking another look. “Walk out into the forest and see all the different types in their natural setting,” she says. “And tell me that isn’t just the coolest thing.”