Fungus

The fungus thought to have claimed the lives of several excavators at Tutankhamun's burial site has had an image makeover, with scientists discovering that it holds potent cancer-fighting properties. It opens the door to new fungi-based medicines.

Mosquitoes have long been among humanity’s most formidable adversaries, causing more deaths than any other animal. With traditional control methods facing mounting resistance, researchers are seeking innovative ways to combat mosquito-borne disease.

Researchers in Switzerland have developed a new film-like material that incorporates living cells from fungi, so it's biodegradable and can help break down waste too. Oh, and you can eat it, if you're curious like that.

A compound derived from a Himalayan fungus has been refined by scientists for a chemotherapy drug with powerful anti-cancer effects. NUC-7738 is yielding encouraging results in ongoing Phase 2 clinical trials, and is advancing towards approval.

Engineers from Montana State University have developed a building material using the root-like mycelium network of a fungus. It's the first time fungal mycelium has been tested as a scaffold for living materials.

If you've ever eaten a pomegranate, you'll know that a great deal of the fruit is composed of its thick skin – which simply gets thrown away. Soon, however, that skin could be used in an edible coating which will help keep strawberries from spoiling.

A new zombie pathogen has been discovered in Ireland. This insidious fungus infects cave spiders and alters their behavior to help spread its spores to new victims.

Swiss researchers claim to have devised a functional living battery powered by the combined efforts of two types of fungi – all in a biodegradable, non-toxic 3D-printed package to run sensors for agriculture and environmental research.

Imagine a glow-in-the-dark designer desk, or wooden fence posts that guide you home with their eerie light. Scientists in Switzerland have developed a way to make glowing wood, with the help of a fungus.

For the 60th year in a row, the Natural History Museum of London has held its Wildlife Photographer of the Year awards. And for the 60th year in a row, the images are guaranteed to stir your love of the natural world and the animals that live in it.

Autonomous vehicles are said to be safer than human drivers – but would you trust a mushroom behind the wheel? A new kind of “biohybrid” robot moves in response to signals from the nervous system of a fungus.

A “bananageddon” might be on the horizon, and not for the first time. But new research could help save our favorite fruit.