To many, the word “technology” immediately brings to mind something modern and artificial. Complex coding and algorithms, intricate machinery, potent chemical reactions- it’s perceived as exclusively synthetic, the antonym of nature itself. However, by definition, technology is simply the application of scientific knowledge to the practical aims of life; an invention can be a process rather than a complex robot or device. Because of the common perception that technology is “unnatural,” one of my favorite inventions of this decade relates to something rather unexpected: fungi. Beneath the dark soil of the forest, an intricate web of delicate tendrils grows, connecting every living thing, from the tallest tree to the humblest plant. This web is known as mycelium, the vegetative part of fungi that’s used to break down organic matter into nutrients. It hosts a network of extraordinarily fine, yet durable, hyphae, which is constructed into complex structures that allow forests to communicate and share resources. Scientists at Ecovative, a company dedicated to growing sustainable materials, invented a revolutionary way to utilize mycelium in 2012 called AirMycelium: a method that manipulates the mycelium via controlled conditions and specialized growing chambers. This system takes advantage of a natural process known as cytokinesis, in which mycelium fills all available space by weaving its hyphae, optimizing growth and strength while wasting little energy. Through this process, scientists are able to coax the mycelium into forming thick mats that can replicate other organic structures, creating a sustainably revolutionary biomaterial. This can be utilized to create a variety of products, including synthetic bacon, faux leather, packing foam, and even construction materials- and once it’s harvested, the product leaves only a biodegradable compost behind. By working in tandem with nature, Ecovative has created an entirely sustainable biomaterial that might just be our future- and the Earth’s. However, biomaterials are just the beginning; fungi have immense potential in the realms of medicine, food, sustainability, and the preservation of our ecosystems. This potential is what fuels my fascination with fungi, stemming from my life-long connection with nature. When I was younger, this connection manifested as catching frogs in my backyard, creating habitats and studying them for hours at a time. As I’ve matured, I’ve turned to exploring the unknown, constantly researching the natural world around me. I spend much of my free time wandering the woods identifying every species of fungi I encounter, recording their conditions of growth, collecting specimens, and researching their historical and modern usages in order to understand their specific role in our ecosystem. Fungi is the most intricate and vital aspect of our ecosystem's communication, functioning as something akin to a “brain,” and yet we’ve hardly scratched the surface of its capabilities. It connects a cycle beyond our comprehension, allowing organisms to feed off each other and communicate in ways we have yet to understand. This cycle is precisely why I aspire to study ecology and mycology as a career. Humanity has so much left to learn from fungi in every context. I aim to uncover the secrets of this vital network by researching fungi within the ecosystems they support, and analyzing ways in which we can utilize its intelligence to save our planet. By working in tandem with fungi to create sustainable products, and using it to further understand our ecosystems, the potential of what we can create is astonishing. In just the past decade, so much has been discovered regarding the capabilities of fungi; imagine how much more humanity can discover in the years to come. It's inevitable; fungi are the future, and I aspire to be a part of it.

To many, the word “technology” immediately brings to mind something modern and artificial. Complex coding and algorithms, intricate machinery, potent chemical reactions- it’s perceived as exclusively synthetic, the antonym of nature itself. However, by definition, technology is simply the application of scientific knowledge to the practical aims of life; an invention can be a process rather than a complex robot or device. Because of the common perception that technology is “unnatural,” one of my favorite inventions of this decade relates to something rather unexpected: fungi. Beneath the dark soil of the forest, an intricate web of delicate tendrils grows, connecting every living thing, from the tallest tree to the humblest plant. This web is known as mycelium, the vegetative part of fungi that’s used to break down organic matter into nutrients. It hosts a network of extraordinarily fine, yet durable, hyphae, which is constructed into complex structures that allow forests to communicate and share resources. Scientists at Ecovative, a company dedicated to growing sustainable materials, invented a revolutionary way to utilize mycelium in 2012 called AirMycelium: a method that manipulates the mycelium via controlled conditions and specialized growing chambers. This system takes advantage of a natural process known as cytokinesis, in which mycelium fills all available space by weaving its hyphae, optimizing growth and strength while wasting little energy. Through this process, scientists are able to coax the mycelium into forming thick mats that can replicate other organic structures, creating a sustainably revolutionary biomaterial. This can be utilized to create a variety of products, including synthetic bacon, faux leather, packing foam, and even construction materials- and once it’s harvested, the product leaves only a biodegradable compost behind. By working in tandem with nature, Ecovative has created an entirely sustainable biomaterial that might just be our future- and the Earth’s. However, biomaterials are just the beginning; fungi have immense potential in the realms of medicine, food, sustainability, and the preservation of our ecosystems. This potential is what fuels my fascination with fungi, stemming from my life-long connection with nature. When I was younger, this connection manifested as catching frogs in my backyard, creating habitats and studying them for hours at a time. As I’ve matured, I’ve turned to exploring the unknown, constantly researching the natural world around me. I spend much of my free time wandering the woods identifying every species of fungi I encounter, recording their conditions of growth, collecting specimens, and researching their historical and modern usages in order to understand their specific role in our ecosystem. Fungi is the most intricate and vital aspect of our ecosystem's communication, functioning as something akin to a “brain,” and yet we’ve hardly scratched the surface of its capabilities. It connects a cycle beyond our comprehension, allowing organisms to feed off each other and communicate in ways we have yet to understand. This cycle is precisely why I aspire to study ecology and mycology as a career. Humanity has so much left to learn from fungi in every context. I aim to uncover the secrets of this vital network by researching fungi within the ecosystems they support, and analyzing ways in which we can utilize its intelligence to save our planet. By working in tandem with fungi to create sustainable products, and using it to further understand our ecosystems, the potential of what we can create is astonishing. In just the past decade, so much has been discovered regarding the capabilities of fungi; imagine how much more humanity can discover in the years to come. It's inevitable; fungi are the future, and I aspire to be a part of it.