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	Podcast:		The Curious Cases of Rutherford & Fry
	Episode:		Furnishing with Fungi
	Category:		Science & Medicine
	Duration:		00:28:35
	Publish Date:		2025-05-09 08:30:00
	Description:		From mouldy bread to athlete’s foot, fungi don’t exactly scream “home improvement.” But what if this misunderstood kingdom is the secret to the sustainable materials of the future? Listener Alexis - definitely not a gnome - wants to know how much of our homes we could build with fungi. Professor Katie Field describes how the mushroom is the just tip of the iceberg - it’s the network of thread-like filaments called mycelium where fungi really do their best work. Architect Phil Ayers explains how fungi, like yeast in bread, can bind waste products into firm, MDF-like blocks. And while we’re not constructing skyscrapers with mushrooms just yet, it turns out fungi-based materials are already making waves in interior design. Think sound-absorbing wall panels or insulation that’s both eco-friendly and chic. And here’s a cool one: mushroom leather! Using discarded stalks from mushroom farms, one company is crafting strong, flexible material for trainers, handbags, and even car dashboards. Move over, cows - mushrooms are pushing their way up. Oh, and NASA? They’re dreaming big with fungi too - to grow habitats in space. From mould...to the moon! Contributors: Katie Field - Professor of Plant-Soil Processes at the University of Sheffield Phil Ayres - Professor of Biohybrid Architecture at the Royal Danish Academy Patrick Baptista Pinto - co-founder of Really Clever Maurizio Montalti - Co-founder and Chief Mycelium Officer of SQIM / MOGU Lynn Rothschild - Senior Research Scientist at NASA Ames research centre Producer: Ilan Goodman Executive Producer: Alexandra Feachem A BBC Studios Audio Production
	Total Play:		0