The Art of Microbial Disguise
The Art of Microbial Disguise
On the battleground of the human body, microbes use every skill to mask, infiltrate, manipulate, and evade the immune radar.
On the battleground of the human body, microbes use every skill to mask, infiltrate, manipulate, and evade the immune radar.
mycology
How to Get Away from the Immune System
Mariella Bodemeier Loayza Careaga, PhD | Dec 13, 2024 | 3 min read
From manipulating host molecules to concealing their presence in the host’s body, microbes employ a wide range of tactics to dodge immune detection.
Fungal Pathogens Flourish in the Pandemic’s Shadow
Christie Wilcox, PhD | Oct 25, 2022 | 3 min read
The World Health Organization’s first ever fungal priority pathogens list highlights the growing threat of fungal diseases and antifungal resistance.
This Fungus Has More Than 17,000 Sexes
James M. Gaines | Apr 20, 2022 | 4 min read
Advances in sequencing technologies have finally allowed researchers to zero in on the genetic diversity underlying the incredible mating system of shelf fungi.
Can Mushrooms “Talk” to Each Other?
Natalia Mesa, PhD | Apr 6, 2022 | 2 min read
Forest floor-dwelling fungi can send one another electrical signals to form word-like clusters, according to a computer scientist, but whether that represents something akin to language isn’t clear.
Image of the Day: Fungal Feature Tracker
Emily Makowski | Nov 5, 2019 | 1 min read
New software can analyze fungi’s growth over time.
Sick Mold
Beth Marie Mole | May 1, 2013 | 2 min read
A virus that infects a crop-killing fungus can spread freely, opening the possibility of its use as a fungicide.
Food's Afterlife
Edyta Zielinska | May 25, 2012 | 1 min read
Meals left to mold develop colors, mycelia, and beads of digested juices, sparking the eye of an artist, and the slight concern of a mycologist.