Fungi

Infectious diseases are caused by prions, viruses, rickettsia, chlamydia, bacteria, pathogenic fungi and protozoa.

Many antibiotics come from fungi.

This ointment can kill fungi.

Fungi disperse spores.

Instead of habitats made of metal and glass, NASA is exploring technologies that could grow structures out of fungi to become our future homes in the stars, and perhaps lead to more sustainable ways of living on Earth as well.

The myco-architecture project out of NASA's Ames Research Center in California's Silicon Valley is prototyping technologies that could "grow" habitats on the Moon, Mars and beyond out of life – specifically, fungi and the unseen underground threads that make up the main part of the fungus, known as mycelia.

The project envisions a future where human explorers can bring a compact habitat built out of a lightweight material with dormant fungi that will last on long journeys to places like Mars. Upon arrival, by unfolding that basic structure and simply adding water, the fungi will be able to grow around that framework into a fully functional human habitat – all while being safely contained within the habitat to avoid contaminating the Martian environment.

Louie Schwartzberg had spent months generating buzz and cultivating an audience for his documentary film “Fantastic Fungi,” selling out theaters in the U.S. and Europe for the planned release date of March 26.

Truffles are fungi that live in symbiosis with the roots of several plants, such as oaks, nut trees, beeches, poplars, and willows.

I like fungi.