Mycology
The Study of Fungi
One of the subjects that I'm passionate learning about is mycology, 'the study of fungi'. The first thing that pops into your head when you hear the word fungi is 'mushroom' right? You'd be correct! Mushrooms are the most well known member of the fungi family. Other common microorganisms are molds, yeasts, and mildews ; however, those four examples are just the tip of the iceburg - there are about 144,000 known species in the fungi kingdom!
Here are 3 more Fungi facts:
- A fungus is neither plant nor animal and belongs to its own ‘fungi kingdom’. But, genetically speaking, they’re more closely related to animals than plants.
- Forget the blue whale – the biggest living organism on the planet is a fungus known as the ‘honey mushroom’.
- Did you know that fungi invented the internet? Sort of. Beneath every forest and wood lies a complex clandestine network of roots, fungi and bacteria that connects trees and plants to one another. It even has a name: the ‘Wood Wide Web’.
Fact source: BBC Earth