What grows all around you but you hardly ever see?

What’s the largest life form on Earth?

What mimics neurons, the shape of the universe, and the planet wide “network” from “Avatar?”

The answer may surprise you, if not gross you out a bit:  it’s fungus!

More specifically its Mycelium, is the vegetative part of a fungus, consisting of a mass of branching, thread-like connections called hyphae.  What most people know about fungus is that they mostly start as the airborne spores that some people are allergic to and somehow turn into mushrooms.

Well this is the very simple overview, this of it like this:  spores are the “seeds”, the Mycelium is the “plant”, and the mushrooms are the “fruit.”  Of course not all Mycelium “fruits” those basic toadstool mushrooms, some can get pretty weird looking.

Case in point.

Scientists believe that fungi colonized the land first, before any plants or animals could survive on it.  They broke down Earth’s virgin rocks and soil into something plants could use, paving the way for the rest of us.  (Note: If your in Kansas and in school, just replace “first” with: “along side humans on the 6th day.” )

Mycelium happens to be nature’s perfect little destroyer.  It tears through organic matter, feeding on it, and decaying it.  Mycelium turns organic and sometimes inorganic trash into something useful for other lifeforms.  It facilitates growth in the plants and trees around it.

Oddly enough, it can even stop termites from invading your house.  Care to see how?  Invest a few moments in Paul Stamet’s TED talk on Mycelium, it will change the way you see fungi (and it’s cool too!).

Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mycelium
http://www.gmilburn.ca/2008/11/24/ted-talks-mushrooms-can-save-the-world/