Nature's Secret Weapon: The Mushroom Set to Dethrone Plastic

Researchers in Finland have discovered a mushroom that grows abundantly on trees, offering a potential alternative to plastic.

[{"selector":"#anim-fa302c8b-4c2d-4dc4-92b7-1c35f8a7e99b [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(57.81249974400788%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d069db28-c5c2-4380-9d93-78070624fa21","keyframes":{"opacity":[1,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d31f0f83-69d8-4d55-a607-e0041b5240f8","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(3)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-2405cf4f-494b-4e65-9696-87d68399f88f","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-dfad1bbb-64f4-46e4-8402-0ea74546aff0","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] Photo Source- GOOGLE

The mushroom, known as Fomes fomentarius or tinder fungus, has traditionally been used as a fire starter due to its prevalence on rotting tree bark.

[{"selector":"#anim-36cdac75-a645-4767-bcd9-2ca14320e4b8 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(62.47939537672204%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-6e15f45b-f142-420b-a393-7c6b2b732f11","keyframes":{"opacity":[1,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-61d192b5-ad7d-4a4c-999e-1664e94e0dad","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(3)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a8a7aafc-3847-496e-9be7-d88446163d49","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-82956219-9e85-442a-a508-5b9150a5472a","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] Photo Source- GOOGLE

The fruiting bodies of F. fomentarius exhibit ingeniously lightweight biological designs, demonstrating remarkable efficiency.

[{"selector":"#anim-66a06dcc-209b-418b-95a7-f650cc3a2001 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(69.9821567481241%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-759f4225-a9fd-456e-b427-7a516035252d","keyframes":{"opacity":[1,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-5a8995be-0d45-47b5-bab1-4e8892c13bf9","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(3)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b374f84d-96ec-4144-bb98-ae196bb732e1","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a4c27b18-4a6e-40e2-a34e-c2e5d3c2b3d0","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] Photo Source- GOOGLE

Growing this mushroom using basic ingredients could address cost, time, mass production, and sustainability issues associated with conventional materials.

[{"selector":"#anim-77ed12bc-6875-4f5d-b608-553d34b7aae4 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(63.530219558922575%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f52f6d2a-ec1f-4ea2-a69a-ec96c9cf1380","keyframes":{"opacity":[1,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-3bbb8d84-7b82-4bd0-8bcd-d8e7902a7a84","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(3)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-3b4a40c3-20ce-4e8b-b780-df36e0c902f2","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c3082102-7f58-4c2f-a592-bdfcffb3eb6d","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] Photo Source- GOOGLE

The researchers propose cultivating mushrooms with similar structural integrity to plastic on a large scale as a replacement for mass-produced plastic.

[{"selector":"#anim-92aca362-fc89-456d-85d3-7c7e133ece60 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(63.6538459332991%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f915aaac-120e-4645-9805-2109a7a3a939","keyframes":{"opacity":[1,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-de1462a3-a61f-4d21-840d-aa3838636bf1","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(3)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-9dd42417-0883-4b09-8235-2149e612a5d6","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-75461bfa-4731-4229-81ca-4d5c3bff62c1","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] Photo Source- GOOGLE

F. fomentarius has exceptional characteristics for various applications, including shock-absorption materials, sound insulation, and consumer product parts.

[{"selector":"#anim-9642a920-76e0-43b5-85fb-bc888d50da98 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(57.81249974400788%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-1a9365ce-5f83-4fef-8211-613def983ca1","keyframes":{"opacity":[1,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-89ea1cd4-26ae-461d-8148-70619183c266","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(3)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-02f09cb8-7e81-4270-a818-a8dbccc98841","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a80dea46-d27f-4507-a09a-c256d09fb7a8","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] Photo Source- GOOGLE

The mushroom's physical structure consists of a stiff and hard outer layer, a spongy mid-layer, and a strong and tough inner layer.

[{"selector":"#anim-2204e509-cebf-4c8c-b620-c62cfbf6a768 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(67.20532249214392%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-9434a30d-dbd8-40af-91d6-4bff184c8d71","keyframes":{"opacity":[1,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-6d5aad1d-e3e6-449e-8ac8-85e5c2bf9317","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(3)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-3097a96a-84a1-4c25-8c2f-b0d38cc4fa7b","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-11be49a9-ebf2-4616-8164-e0c8fbbc7284","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] Photo Source- GOOGLE

In a controlled laboratory setting, large quantities of F. fomentarius can be produced within weeks using industrial biotechnology.

[{"selector":"#anim-a83fc8e5-03e5-46ff-a96d-b76ab78f77b3 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(62.49999977245145%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-98942fe6-8cfa-4584-ad5a-e2f11bdc852a","keyframes":{"opacity":[1,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-820786c9-ff95-4091-8dfb-96829df31de8","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(3)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e6cc9c4b-0536-4a3a-8853-5b54aa5bf586","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-88aa51ce-b70a-47bd-b051-3ae79ad72673","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] Photo Source- GOOGLE

The mushroom's structural strength comparable to plywood and leather makes it a promising replacement for various types of plastics in industries such as headset manufacturing.

[{"selector":"#anim-b5d6190b-dcae-4a77-a9e2-2fce4d78ccba [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(24.903350059780358%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-333c2378-23c3-4ab7-94fb-48baa8cb34ff","keyframes":{"opacity":[1,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-0dce4eb5-9dd3-4d09-a1f9-eede673a61b1","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(3)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-109f0bc8-2936-4f80-b77f-4050d9be5db7","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b7d11eff-4606-4ce1-abaa-89bade9490b2","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] Photo Source- GOOGLE