Scientists Create Living Plastic Alternative

Using mushrooms, scientists have created a living, plastic-like compound that uses the fungi's unique properties to mold it into almost any form. Researchers out of the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, better known as Empa, have used the common split-gill mushroom to create what they're calling "living fiber dispersions" or LFD, a gel-like material that can be used as a plastic alternative in all manner of applications. The new material's unique strength and versatility come courtesy of fibers from the split gill mushroom's mycelia, or root-like structures — a popular subcomponent used in everything from eco-friendly packaging and textiles to green building materials and nutrient-dense food. In most modern applications, mycelial fibers are chemically treated and cleaned, which the team says in a press release results in a "trade-off between performance and sustainability." Instead of treating the mycelial fibers, the Swiss researchers kept them whole ... Read full article.