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FungusFungi are nature's decomposers, recycling ecosystem nutrients. Distinct from plants and animals, fungi are everywhere on Earth, including the water, soil, air, and our bodies. The fungal kingdom includes more than 1 million species, such as molds, mushrooms, and yeasts. But in this diverse group are also fungi that produce toxins in food and ones that trigger allergic reactions and asthma attacks. When certain fungi species become overgrown in or on humans, that can lead to disorders like yeast infections, ringworm, and athlete's foot. Fungal diseases are increasing worldwide due to factors such as climate change and the increase in international travel and trade. They cost the US around $19B annually and cause around 130,000 hospitalizations each year. Although most fungal pathogens, when inhaled, are easily cleared from the human body in otherwise healthy people, individuals with compromised immune systems are at particular risk. In hospitals, fungal pathogens may persist on surfaces and equipment and in the air without strict sanitation practices and then spread easily among vulnerable people.Explore Fungus

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Ringworm is caused by a fungus, not a wormRingworm, formally known as tinea and known for its red circular rash, is responsible for about 325 million infections at any given time—comprising roughly half the world’s fungal skin infection burden. It’s caused by a type of fungus called a dermatophyte, which also causes athlete’s foot and jock itch. Doctors typically prescribe antifungal tablets or powders to stamp out these fungal invaders. WHO The ‘humongous fungus’ may be the largest organism on Earth at more than 2,300 acresDiscovered in 1988, when it was only covering 400 acres, this massive colony of Armillaria ostoyae, based in Oregon, has taken hold among the tree roots of the Malheur National Forest. It consists of a vast network of unique long black filaments of fungal tissue called rhizomorphs that grow under the soil and infect tree roots, nourishing the fungus but killing the trees. Researchers believe this fungal growth dates back more than 8,000 years and currently weighs approximately 35,000 tons. Oregon Encyclopedia Watch Cordyceps, a parasitic fungus, turn an ant into a ‘zombie’This National Geographic TV clip shows how a parasitic Cordyceps species—sometimes colloquially called the “zombie ant fungus”—controls an ant’s behavior and kills its host. The fungus can rapidly wipe out entire insect colonies. National Geographic Hit show 'The Last of Us' was based on the real-life Cordyceps fungusThough it depicted a fictional world with a collapsed society due to a fungal pandemic, this television series (based on an earlier video game) helped raise awareness about fungal threats. It even prompted the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to publicly comment on it—clarifying the show’s plausibility. The mind-controlling fungal species in the show is based on a real-life Cordyceps species, a fungus that modifies its host’s behavior before killing it. US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Mapping the spread of a dangerous fungus growing in US healthcare facilitiesExplore the data showing how the fungus C. auris has spread in the US, with more than 10,000 reported cases since 2016. Recommended steps to prevent infections and limit their spread have been successful in some areas, but infection control remains complicated because the fungus is often now multidrug-resistant. US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention LSD was derived from natural compounds produced by the ergot fungus Ergot is a fungus that slowly infects and replaces individual grains on grasses, including rye and wheat. Ingesting ergot can cause ergotism, a form of poisoning with symptoms—including headaches, hallucinations, gangrene, and convulsions—varying by season and geography. This grain was used for medicinal purposes as early as the 1500s. American Society for Microbiology In 1951, a small French town was overtaken by the fungus that ultimately led to LSDDuring the summer of 1951, the French town of Pont-Saint-Esprit appeared to go mad. Hundreds were treated for hallucinations and delirium, with some reporting ongoing hallucinations a month after the LSD-like symptoms appeared. Some historians argue it was a case of ergotism, better known in the Middle Ages as "burning disease" and "St. Anthony's Fire." VICE Why bananas are in troubleThe average American eats over 25 pounds of bananas every year, but we won't for long if a deadly soil fungus continues to spread. Learn what scientists are doing to save the popular fruit. Vox An invasive, tree-killing beetle may threaten large swaths of AustraliaA Curtin University study warns that large parts of Australia, including major cities and farming regions, could be highly vulnerable to the fast-spreading polyphagous shot hole borer, which releases a fungus that can starve trees of nutrients. The tiny insect has already caused severe damage across the Perth metropolitan area. Phys.org Billion-year-old Arctic fossils suggest Earth had fungi far earlier than previously thoughtNamed Ourasphaira giraldae, this new species of fungus, reported in 2019, was found in the Grassy Bay Formation in the Canadian Arctic. It pushed the fossil record of fungi back by about half a billion years since the oldest previously recognized fungi fossils came from the Rhynie chert, a Scottish site that dates back roughly 400 million years. This fungal discovery also suggests that fungi may have occurred on land much earlier than plants, raising questions about what ancient fungi used for nourishment. Vice Media Mycotoxins are toxic compounds produced by fungi—some show up in foodAbout a quarter of the world’s agricultural products are contaminated with mycotoxins. Some of these compounds can cause serious health problems, including cancer, so the US government has set up monitoring programs to detect them in our food and in animal feed. Humans can become ill if they eat contaminated food, but also if they ingest products from animals that had previously consumed these toxic compounds, such as milk from a cow that ate contaminated corn. National Library of Medicine Cutting mold off your food does not make it safe to eatMold is a type of fungus, but not all fungi are molds. This video explains the value of mold, mold anatomy, health concerns around encountering and eating mold, and why mold is found all around us. Animalogic Candida auris spreads easily in healthcare facilities and causes high death ratesThis fungus has spread rapidly in healthcare settings since the first US case was reported in 2016, and it has grown increasingly resistant to echinocandins, the antifungal medicine most commonly used to treat it. Often, it’s resistant to multiple antifungal drugs, contributing to its high death toll. It can most readily infect those with invasive medical devices like intravenous catheters and those with frequent or long-duration stays in healthcare facilities. US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Candida albicans is a natural body-dwelling yeast, but it can cause yeast infectionsThis fungus is naturally occurring on the body, but C. albicans can become a problem when the natural balance of bacteria on the body is off-kilter, allowing this yeast to spread. It can cause anything from diaper rash to a yeast infection in the throat or vagina. It’s typically treated with doctor-prescribed antifungal medications. Cleveland Clinic Most people breathe fungal spores daily without getting sickMost people breathe in hundreds of Aspergillus fumigatus spores daily without getting sick—it’s a common microscopic fungus in our environment. But people who are severely ill, including those who have undergone an organ transplant, are at risk of developing infections from these spores. University of Tennessee College of Pharmacy Fungal diseases cost the US around $19B annuallyEstimates derived from health insurance claims, death certificates, and hospitalization data suggest that fungus is a significant medical issue. Each year, fungal diseases kill some 7,300 people—roughly the same number of deaths attributed to motor vehicles striking pedestrians. Around 130,000 people are hospitalized with fungal diseases, and the total national cost from fungal diseases is estimated to be about $19B—a figure that roughly matches Jamaica's entire gross domestic product. US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention In 1957, a vice president at JP Morgan became an outspoken evangelist for psychedelic mushroomsR. Gordon Wasson wrote "Seeking the Magic Mushroom" for Life magazine in 1957. It was a groundbreaking piece of journalism that introduced mainstream society to psychedelic mushrooms. He retired from JP Morgan in 1963 and continued researching and writing about psychedelic experiences for the rest of his life. JSTOR Daily

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