Mycelium Mania: Why Everyone's Talking About It

Mushrooms vs Mycelium

The part of the mushroom that we’re familiar with, the visible mushroom, is actually the fruiting body. It shows up at the end of its life cycle. But there’s a lot that happens before this fruit pops up 🍄. Mushrooms have a fascinating life cycle that starts with tiny spores, nature’s version of seeds, that spread through wind, water, or hitching a ride on animals. When these spores land in just the right spot, they grow into mycelium - the hidden root system of the mushroom. It collects and uses nutrients, releases enzymes, fights off predators, and defends the mushroom. Think of mycelium as the mushroom’s immune system, which is also responsible for helping the mushroom grow strong and dense.

So the next time you see a mushroom (the fruiting body), pause for a second and think about the much larger, denser part of it that is hidden beneath the soil. The mycelium then grows into the fruiting body. Once it becomes mature, the fruiting body makes spores and releases them and the cycle continues.

Fun Fact: If you have ever dug into your garden and seen some white fuzzy stuff, that’s mycelium!

There's More to Mycelium Than Meets the Eye

Mycelium packs a punch with its sturdy structure and insulating properties. This makes it a sustainable and natural substitute for synthetic materials. You can find mycelium replacing fossil fuel-based products in packaging, clothes, food, and even buildings. Let's explore some brands harnessing the power of mycelium:

• Mycoworks is shaking up the leather industry with its mycelium magic. It grows sheets of fine mycelium in indoor mushroom farms. To make it tough and durable, it mixes in agricultural waste like sawdust. And get this - its tans and dyes it naturally, no nasty chemicals involved. It's leather, but not as you know it!
• Comu Labs is revolutionizing the building industry with mycelium. It has created a plywood-like material straight from its mushroom farm. And get this - it’s using restaurant waste and coffee husks to grow edible mushrooms at the same time.
• Next up is Bolt Threads and its creation, Mylo. It's not just any leather alternative - it's a game-changer. It grows mycelium in vertical farms, powered entirely by renewable energy. Mylo feels just like real leather. It's soft, it's supple, and it's sustainable. You get all the luxury without the guilt. Big names like Adidas, Kering, lululemon, and Stella McCartney are already on board.
• Ecovative makes Forager™ which is a high-performance, pure mycelium foam. It’s breathable, insulating, water-repellant, and naturally fire-resistant. It can be tailored to a variety of needs for multiple industries and product applications. Ecovative also owns MyForest Foods, which uses mycelium to make MyBacon, a plant-based replacement of bacon.

Our compostable earplugs at GOB.Earth is also made of Aerial Mycelium grown by Forager™. Don't worry—they won't grow cordyceps in your brain like in the show "The Last of Us" (ha!). That's definitely going in our FAQ section btw. These are just a few examples of companies harnessing mycelium's power. We could keep going, but we think you get the picture now. Let's wrap this up with one last fascinating tidbit about mycelium. You won't believe this!

Cleaning Up Toxic Radiations in Chernobyl

Scientists have found an amazing type of mycelium that's actually cleaning up radiation at Chernobyl! This fungus actively seeks out the most radioactive areas and breaks down materials like graphite.

Now, imagine what we could do with this discovery. We're talking about potentially protecting humans from radiation, creating new renewable energy sources, and even advancing space travel. And that's not all - it could lead to new medical treatments and improve how we manufacture things.

This just goes to show how incredible mycelium can be. It's tackling some of our biggest environmental and tech challenges, proving that sometimes, nature has the best solutions up its sleeve. Who knew fungi could be such problem-solvers?