When you think of mushrooms, you might think of the typical mushrooms in the forest, like here: but mushrooms have a lot more to offer!
The world of fungi is immensely diverse. It is estimated that there are up to 3.8 million species of fungi-over 90 per cent of which may still be unknown. Just as plants and animals make up two kingdoms of life, fungi make up their own kingdom in nature.
Fungi are present everywhere in our environment: we inhale fungal spores floating in the air with every breath, they can be found in our bodies and on our skin, as mould on fruit and in buildings, as yeast in beer and bread, as a widely branched mycelium network under the earth or in lichens on trees and stones.
The Power of Fungi
Fungi can be harmful and cause serious diseases in plants, animals and people. At the same time, life as we know it would not be possible without them: as decomposers, they convert organic waste back into the cycle of life.
Humans have always made use of fungi in many ways and are still discovering more and more species in this largely unexplored realm of organisms. This leads to promising applications for our future, such as new materials that could replace plastics and open up a path to an oil-free future.
The more we learn about these organisms, the clearer it becomes how they shape our everyday lives.
Discover with us the power of these fascinating organisms!
nat-2 ™ has developed vegan sneakers made from tinder fungus (Fomes fomentarius).
"Veiled Lady III" stool, inspired by a stinkhorn © Studio Klarenbeek & Dros.
Lichen is a symbiotic community of fungi and green algae and / or cyanobacteria.
'The variety of appearances and functions of fungi is incredibly large throughout the living world in nature as well as in human everyday life. It remains exciting for the future to see how much potential lies dormant in this still largely unexplored realm of organisms.'
In her exhibitions, the designer and curator Tanja Seiner investigates current and potential future living environments through the perspectives of science, design and art.
Tanja Seiner has lectured at various universities and is co-founder of the studio UnDesignUnit.
© Verena Kathrein
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