Mushrooms May Replace Metal in Future Computers — And You Could Build One At Home
Mushrooms are an incredibly versatile product used for many purposes all over the world. We can use them on our steaks and in our stir-fries, but they hold promising potential for the future of sustainable technology.
Published in PLOS OneA new study has identified an exciting new role for fungi: helping power the computers of the future through data storage. Thanks to mushrooms’ well-developed neural networks, mushrooms are a viable substitute for expensive metal devices typically used in computers.
“Being able to develop microchips that mimic real neuronal activity means you don’t need a lot of power while idle or when the machine is not in use,” John LaRocco, lead author of the study, said in a press release. “This is something that can be a huge potential IT and economic benefit.”
Learn more: Our prehistoric ancestors may have snacked on mushrooms, just as some primates do today
Fungi and bioelectronics
Scientists have long known that mushrooms, and mushrooms in general, are incredibly resilient and have many properties that make them unique. Their ability to create neural networks makes them particularly suited to bioelectronics, an emerging interdisciplinary research field combining electronics and biological materials.
In this study, researchers focused on two mushrooms commonly found in our kitchens: shiitake and button mushrooms. They discovered that these two types of fungi can be specifically grown to act as organic memristors. Memristors are a type of data processor capable of remembering past electrical states even when turned off.
Thanks to the neuronal capabilities of fungi, they were able to reproduce these electrical memories as efficiently as semiconductor chips.
Turning mushrooms into computer chips
The researchers grew shiitake and button mushrooms in their laboratory for use in their biotechnology experiments. Once ripened and dehydrated, the mushrooms were connected to an electronic circuit and electrocuted. The tests were extensive, involving different placements, voltages and frequencies to explore the full potential of the mushrooms.
“We connected electrical wires and probes to different points on the mushroom because distinct parts of it have different electrical properties. Depending on the voltage and connectivity, we observed different performance,” LaRocco explained.
The experiments lasted for months and the mushrooms continued to function, switching from one memorized electrical state to another with 90% accuracy. Mushrooms had a weak point: the higher the frequency of electrical voltages, the worse the performance.
This behavior actually corresponds to how the brain’s neural network works, and it was similarly corrected by increasing the number of mushrooms connected to the network to help share the neuronal load.
The future of biotechnology
The success of this research shows how easy it will be for future technologies to make exciting advances while protecting the environment. Societies’ concern to protect the environment for future generations “could be one of the driving factors for new eco-friendly ideas like these,” added Qudsia Tahmina, co-author of the study.
Although still early in their development, mushroom memristors could be used in many areas, from aerospace exploration to wearable technology. According to LaRocco, it could also be a type of biotechnology accessible at home: “All you would need to start exploring fungi and using computing could be as small as a compost pile and a few homemade electronics.” »
Learn more: What makes Death Cap mushrooms the deadliest in the world?
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