Fungi are truly fascinating organisms with some unique characteristics that set them apart from plants and animals.
While fungi may not possess brains in the traditional sense, they exhibit remarkable signs of decision-making and communication.
Fungi’s Unexpected Intelligence
Researchers from Japan’s Tohoku University and Nagaoka College have made an intriguing discovery with the little-known fungus Phanerochaete velutina: it not only identifies shapes but also communicates environmental information across its entire fungal network.
Researchers assert that fungi exhibit remarkable capabilities, including memory, learning, and decision-making. The differences in their problem-solving approaches compared to humans are described as mind-blowing.
Unveiling Fungal Intelligence: Decision-Making and Problem-Solving
In a series of experiments detailed in a paper published in the journal Fungal Ecology, small wood blocks were arranged in different shapes, allowing a network of P. velutina mycelium — which typically feeds on peach and nectarine trees — to interact with them.
The findings were startling: the mycelium appeared to make decisions based on the arrangement of the blocks, rather than simply spreading from a central point, suggesting a rudimentary level of intelligence, according to the researchers.
The researchers hope that their findings will pave the way for advancements across various fields, including the study of other microscopic organisms like slime molds, which have also exhibited basic levels of intelligence, as well as the development of biological computers powered by organoid brain cultures.
Researchers stated that the functional significance of fungal mycelia may provide insights into the primitive intelligence of brainless organisms, improve understanding of ecological impacts, and aid in the development of bio-based computers.
