The Unexpected Magic of Mushrooms

Beneath a patch of woodland in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula there lies an organism over 1500 years old and heavier than three blue whales combined –  a mushroom. The secret of its longevity is an extremely low mutation rate – meaning it avoids potentially damaging alterations to its genetic code. Could this fungus hold the key to fighting some human diseases?

Source: BBC
Published: Mar 15, 2019
Length: 11 minutes (2,839 words)