Mushrooms And Other Fungi Talk To Each Other Using A Language Just Like Humans

Could mushrooms be talking to each other? According to a new study, mushrooms may be able to talk to each other in less than 50 words.

Through patterns in electrical signals, mushrooms may be communicating with each other, the study claims. Andrew Adamatzky, a computer scientist from the University of the West of England analysed electrical activity from four species of fungi and his findings were published in the journal Royal Society Open Science.

Gourmet Woodland Mushrooms

How are mushrooms communicating?

Adamatzky found that spikes in electrical activity were used by mushrooms to transmit information to others in the same network. Each mushroom has a hyphae - underground root-like structures that are a lot like nerve cells found in human nervous system. These hyphae form a network called a mycelium that facilitates communication between fungi.

Phys

Also read:?Magic Mushrooms Found To Relieve Depression In Largest Clinical Trial, But Side Effects Remain

According to the study, spikes in electrical signals created by mushrooms and other fungi resemble a language of sorts that can be grouped into "words" and "sentences." The study adds that fungi could have a vocabulary of up to 50 words. CTV reported that hyphae may be sending signals about where resources are, where food is, or for regular conversations.

The Conservationist

Not all mushrooms speak the same language though. It appears that different fungi species have different levels of linguistic complexity. For instance, split gill fungi generated the most complex sentences with the largest vocabulary, while species like enoki fungi and caterpillar fungi had a smaller batch of words.

Also read:?Consumption Of Mushrooms In Moderation Lowers Depression, New Study Finds

What does this mean, you wonder? Quite simply, that mushrooms and other fungi do communicate with each other using a language, much like human beings.?

Let us know what you think about this in the comments below.?For more in the world of?technology?and?science, keep reading?Indiatimes.com.?

References

Yun, T. (2022, April 11). New study suggests mushrooms may talk to each other with up to 50 “words.” CTVNews.?