The Future is Fungal: Mushroom Computing

A research team at Ohio State University has taken a surprisingly ordinary ingredient—store‑bought shiitake mushrooms—and connected it to electrodes to see whether the fungus can behave like a memristor. A memristor (short for “memory resistor”) is an electronic component that both processes signals and stores data, promising faster, more energy‑efficient computing than today’s silicon‑based chips.

Watch on Substack

Why look to fungi? The global e‑waste monitor estimates that the world produces about 62 billion kilograms of electronic waste each year, yet only roughly 20 % is recycled. Traditional recycling is hampered by hazardous materials such as cadmium and lead, and the process itself generates additional pollution. If electronic parts could be made from organic, biodegradable material, the waste problem would shrink dramatically.

In the Ohio State study, the scientists:

1. Harvested fresh shiitake caps from grocery stores.
2. Affixed electrodes to the mushroom tissue.
3. Measured the electrical response while varying voltage and current.

The results showed that the mushroom tissue exhibits variable resistance that depends on its recent electrical history—the hallmark of memristive behavior. In other words, the fungus can “remember” a signal without any external power, a key requirement for neuromorphic and low‑power computing.

If the early findings can be scaled, fungal memristors could become building blocks for bioelectronics that decompose harmlessly after use, dramatically cutting the volume of toxic e‑waste that ends up in landfills.

Our findings show that fungal computers can provide scalable, eco-friendly platforms for neuromorphic tasks, bridging bioelectronics and unconventional computing.

The Above Phone Pixel 10 is here!

We’re excited to introduce four powerful new phones to the Above Phone lineup!

Powered by GrapheneOS and fully de-Googled, the Above Phone Pixel 10 is carefully configured to make everyday communication, browsing, and data storage simpler, safer, and more efficient.

Shop Pixel 10 today!

Save $50 today with coupon code TBOT50.

Learn more about the Pixel 10