Fungi are already hard at work helping trees survive drought, recycling fallen logs, rotting away carcases, and helping human digestive systems, but could they do more?

Is our future made of fungi?

Research has shown fungi's potential to make medicine, clothing, and cheap fire-retardant housing, but trying to isolate and harness just one species is not an easy task given they get into pretty much everything.

Featuring:

• Dr. Tien Huynh, associate professor at the School of Sciences, RMIT
• Grace Boxshall, PhD student at the University of Melbourne and visiting junior research fellow at the University of New South Wales.
• Georgina Hold, professor of gut health at the School of Clinical Medicine, University of New South Wales
• Dr Sapphire McMullan-Fisher, fungal and plant ecologist at the University of New England
• Alistair McTaggart, mycologist and researcher at Psymbiotika Lab
• Justin Beardsley, researcher at the University of Sydney Infectious Diseases Institute and physician at Westmead Hospital

Production:

• Ann Jones, Presenter / Producer
• Rebecca McLaren, Producer
• Hamish Camilleri, Sound Engineer

This episode of What the Duck?! was produced on the land of the Wadawarrung and Taungurung people.

Find more episodes of the ABC podcast, What the Duck?! with the always curious Dr Ann Jones exploring the mysteries of nature on the ABC Listen app (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. You'll learn more about the weird and unusual aspects of our natural world in a quirky, fun way with easy to understand science.