Although invisible to the eye, mushrooms are all around us. Every year, mushrooms release millions of tons of spores into the atmosphere.

These spores float on the wind, landing on distant soils or hitching rides on our clothing, eventually finding their way into our closets where they can grow on garments or in the corners of wardrobes. Spores can even soar into the sky and have been found by scientists in clouds.

Today, scientists believe mushroom spores can facilitate cloud formation. This is because the condensation of water vapor in the atmosphere into droplets requires condensation nuclei, which can be chemical solutions like chloride, nitrogen, and carbon, or solid particles like tiny dust.

The more condensation nuclei there are, the more conducive it is for water vapor to condense into droplets, thereby forming clouds.

As a tiny solid substance, mushroom spores can provide a plethora of condensation nuclei for water droplets, thus promoting cloud formation. If it rains, the spores will fall to the ground with the raindrops and then take root to complete their dissemination.

Apart from spores, mushrooms also spread by extending their mycelium, which grows on the surface or underground. Mycelium is a highly effective means of propagation for mushrooms, akin to the roots of plants but smaller and longer. Mycelium can root not only in soil but also in modern urban waste heaps. If you were to dig into soil containing mycelium, you would find it extending, with a total distance of up to 100 meters.

Mushrooms and Fungi

The relationship between mushrooms and fungi is akin to that between fruits or flowers and plants.

Mushrooms are just where fungi produce spores, and not all fungi produce mushrooms; most fungi can produce spores without mushrooms. In comparison to the millions of tons of mushrooms, fungi produce about 45 million tons of spores annually.

Lichens: Reaching from Earth to Sky

Lichens are symbiotic organisms formed by the combination of fungi and photosynthetic algae or bacteria.

This symbiotic organism can survive in incredibly harsh environments. Even in the Sahara Desert, lichens can be found, thriving on some of the hottest dunes and stabilizing the sand, reducing the formation of sandstorms.

Scientists have also found lichens in Antarctica. They live in a secluded paradise away from humans, enduring the extreme cold and intense ultraviolet radiation, seemingly unfazed by their surroundings. It's no surprise they've even been taken into space.

Metabolic Wizardry of Fungi

Fungi utilize their potent enzymes and acids to dissolve almost any substance in the world, from wood, petroleum, and plastics to even nuclear reactors, which are no match for fungi's dissolution. In 1991, scientists revisited the site of the nuclear disaster and discovered a black fungus thriving inside the abandoned atomic reactor, feeding on radiation.

This fungus contains large amounts of melanin, which helps it absorb radiation and convert it into chemical energy to aid its growth.

Moreover, fungi can absorb heavy metals from the soil, decompose synthetic chemicals like pesticides, herbicides, and disinfectants into carbon dioxide and water, provide habitats for organisms like termites, and much more.

Scientists estimate that there are between 2.2 to 3.8 million species of fungi in the world, of which humans currently only recognize 6%. Human understanding of fungi is just beginning, and who knows what surprises fungi may hold for us in the future.

In summary, mushrooms and fungi wield profound influence across various domains, from ecology and medicine to climate and beyond. As our understanding of fungi continues to deepen, so too does our appreciation for the boundless wonders of the fungal kingdom.