FUNGI

15 of the World’s Funkiest Fungi

There's a big wide world beyond common molds and mushrooms—and some of it is very strange.

Gibellula pulchra is in the same genus as Gibellula attenboroughii.

Scientists Identify Fungus Turning Spiders Into “Zombies” in Northern Ireland

Researchers discovered a parasitic fungus that controls spiders‘ behavior, akin to the zombie ant fungus.

Watch a Mushroom Play a Keyboard Through Electronic Sensors

Discover how Bionic and the Wires are turning fungi into electronic musicians.

Dogs make great truffle hunting helpers.

Dogs Sniff Out Two New Species of Truffles in the U.S.

The two new truffle species hadn’t been formally identified by scientists before the canines discovered them.

Some situations require sterilization, while sanitizing works fine in others.

Sanitize vs. Disinfect vs. Sterilize: What‘s the Difference?

Learn the key differences between sanitizing, disinfecting, and sterilizing to properly clean your home and protect your health.

Shiitake mushrooms (left) are edible, while fly agaric (right) is extremely toxic, causing serious symptoms like dizziness, confusion, and hallucinations.

Mushrooms vs. Toadstools: What’s the Difference?

The definitions of toadstools and mushrooms are a bit intertwined.

This mushroom and parsnip tart is easy and delicious.

This Savory Roasted Mushroom Tart Is Accidentally Vegetarian

Whether you're veggie curious or committed to a meat-free lifestyle, you'll be satisfied with this mixed mushroom tart.

How to Tell If Your Blue Cheese Has Gone Bad

Fuzzy gray or black patches of mold or shiny pink or yellow spots of yeast are indications that your blue cheese is past the point of no return.

Cordyceps in a human in HBO's 'The Last of Us.'

5 Fast Facts About Cordyceps, the Fungus from HBO's ‘The Last of Us’

In HBO’s new series ‘The Last of Us,’ Cordyceps fungus has infected humanity, turning those unlucky enough to become hosts into clicking, screaming, mushroomy monsters. Here’s what you need to know about the real fungus.

'Nature's Pitfall' by Samantha Stephens.

See 11 Stunning Images From the 4th Annual Close-Up Photographer of the Year Competition

Slime mold definitely had a moment—but it’s hard to beat two dead salamanders floating in a carnivorous plant.

Rogue invader or pleasant pot-mate? You be the judge.

Why Mushrooms Grow in Potting Soil—and What to Do About Them

If you spot a mushroom growing in the same pot as your houseplant, there's no need to panic.

8-Year-Old Twinkies Intrigue Fungus Experts

A Twinkie was found shriveled-up and hardened after eight years in a basement, and now scientists are searching for the fungus behind the transformation.

Meet Your Home's Microbes in The Great Indoors

Author Emily Anthes explores the thriving communities of bacteria and fungi with which we share our abodes—and what they reveal about us.

15 Fascinating Facts About Beatrix Potter

Beatrix Potter was a bestselling author, a world-famous illustrator, and a talented naturalist ... but she still disappointed her mom.

A Psychotropic Fungus Is Eating Away Cicadas' Genitalia and Boosting Their Sex Drive

Even when two-thirds of their bodies are composed of fungal spores, the host cicadas continue to attempt mating in a drugged-out stupor.

What's the Difference Between Mold and Mildew?

We’re all familiar with colorful spots of something growing in our showers and in other dark, damp areas in our homes, but is it mold or is it mildew?

A Fungus Could Be One Key to Solving Our Plastic Waste Crisis

An important use for the fungus among us.

Ryan von Linden/New York Department of Environmental Conservation, Flickr // CC BY 2.0

Scientists May Have Found a Cure for Deadly White-Nose Syndrome in Bats

The spread of the devastating fungal disease could potentially be halted with portable UV light sources, a new study suggests.

Paul Mannix, Wikimedia Commons // CC BY-SA 2.0

Scientists Improve Drug Safety—for Penguins

People aren't the only ones threatened by drug-resistant microbes.

Don’t Rely on an App to Identify Which Mushrooms You Can Eat

Figuring out whether or not a mushroom is safe probably shouldn’t be left up to artificial intelligence.

9 Molds Trying to Take Over Your Kitchen

“I can’t tell you how many times people have said, ‘I have a cut on my arm, should I put moldy bread on it?’”

Glow-in-the-Dark Mushrooms Are a Blacklight Poster Come to Life

Hello, 1996.

Tom Benson via Flickr // CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

Woodpeckers May Use Wood-Rotting Fungi to Help Them Drill Holes

One woodpecker species may have found a smart way to build their homes faster.

11 Diseases and Pests That are Catastrophic to Plants

These plant diseases and crop-killing critters cause many millions of dollars in damage, and mean very hard work for those that're trying to stop them.