Mushrooms are some of the most interesting creatures on our planet. They predate humans by hundreds of millions of years and are extremely important to the environment, but they can also be destructive at times. Fungi break down organic matter, releasing carbon, oxygen, nitrogen, and more into the soil, fertilizing the soil and the atmosphere. They are a mysterious life form that is difficult to classify as plants or animals, so they are different from both and are part of their kingdom, the difference is mainly in the way mushrooms consume nutrients.
Animals, such as humans, eat their food, which is then broken down by their bodies to absorb nutrients. Plants depend on photosynthesis; they use the sun to make their own food internally. Mushrooms, on the other hand, use mycelium (the root-like structure you’ll find on any mushroom) to secrete enzymes that digest external nutrients. However, despite the differences, fungi are often confused with plants but share more similarities with animals in that they both decompose and absorb nutrients.
There is a belief that mushrooms are small, like plants, but they can grow very large. The largest single organism currently on Earth is a 3.5-square-mile fungus that grows beneath Oregon’s Malheur National Forest. Its mycelium spreads beneath the forest floor in a vast web-like network, attaching to trees and supporting the forest floor.
Once upon a time, giant fungi dotted the landscape with trunks that grew 20 to 30 feet tall, according to recently discovered fossils. Mushrooms grow so fast and efficiently that they can even destroy Kevlar fibers, and they have even been found in nuclear waste tanks at Chernobyl.
The contribution of mushrooms to the development of the earth is immeasurable. They helped the first sea-dwelling creatures land on Earth, colonize it, and do their best to rebuild it again after the mass extinction. They likely help plants survive on land because the plants don’t yet have roots to support the soil, so the fungi help them grow. Penicillin comes from mushrooms, as do many other drugs that lower cholesterol and make organ transplants possible. It’s also important to many things we eat, including bread, cheese, and alcohol like beer and cheese.
And because they can survive in space, they could have played a more important role in the creation of the universe. The future is also full of opportunities. If mushrooms could eat nuclear radiation and toxic chemicals, they could break down plastic and solve a major environmental crisis. When humans finally venture into space exploration, mushrooms could even help terraform new planets to make them habitable.
This fascinating life form may seem almost alien, both beneficial and harmful, but it has had a great impact on our evolution and will likely continue into our future.
Directed by: Pete Kelly
