Scientists are making new discoveries about fungi, which are a type of organism that is all around us. There are estimated to be between 2 and 12 million species of fungi that haven't been discovered yet. These fungi are often referred to as cryptic because they are difficult to find and study. One of the reasons for this is that many fungi are microscopic, meaning they are too small to see with the naked eye.
Fungi are very different from plants, even though they might look similar. They don't have chlorophyll like plants do, which means they can't make their own food from sunlight. Instead, they get their nutrients by decomposing organic matter or by forming symbiotic relationships with other organisms. Some fungi even form relationships with plants, helping them to get the nutrients they need to grow. In return, the plants provide the fungi with carbohydrates produced during photosynthesis.
Some fungi have evolved unique strategies to survive and thrive in their environments. For example, some fungi can produce compounds that are toxic to other organisms, while others can form relationships with insects to help them spread their spores. Fungi can even be found in extreme environments, such as the Arctic tundra or the ruins of Chernobyl. In these environments, they have adapted to survive in conditions that would be hostile to most other organisms.
