Uses of Fungi: Our world is molding!

Mushrooms are often linked to disease, decay, and death, as reflected in names like death trumpet, witch boletus, and devil's egg. While some fungi do harm trees—such as a honey mushroom in Oregon that killed many trees and is the largest organism on Earth—mushrooms are only the reproductive structures of fungi. Most of a fungus grows unseen as a network of thread-like hyphae called mycelium, which colonizes soil, wood, or living organisms and produces mushrooms to release spores when conditions are right. The Oregon honey mushroom’s mycelium spans 10 km² and has grown over thousands of years.

Mushrooms can also harm humans; about 1–2% are poisonous. For example, Roman Emperor Claudius was allegedly poisoned in AD 54 with a deadly mushroom, the sticky turnip amanita, hidden in a dish of Caesar’s mushroom. Yet mushrooms are not just harmful—they’re highly beneficial. They provide food, support health, and offer sustainable alternatives to materials like plastics, making them vital to achieving Sustainable Development Goals.