#move like mycorrhizae

[butts-bouncing-on-the-beltway]

Anarkata is usually my happy place, ideologically speaking, so lets dive into Move Like Mycorrhizae

What are mycorrhizae?

mycorrhizae (pronounced “my-core-ih-zigh”) are mutual relationships between fungi and plant roots. They move nutrients between plants they are connected to. They can also sap nutrients from one part of a fungal network. They spread vastly within an ecosystem in ways that prevent researchers from being able to trace where the network begins or ends. They play both pathogenic and symbiotic roles. They develop in very steady, slow ways. Occasionally you see mushrooms sprouting up, aboveground, but mycorrhizae are primarily an underground entity. In this Kickback we see them as emblems for what Anarkata movement building feels like, since we work from the ground (or underground), and work from the roots (as Black Anarchic Radicals).

I cannot tell you how much I love the fungal comparison for underground/criminalized socio-political actions and spaces, I've been spinning up about it since I first heard it and I'm prolly gonna ramble about that more later lol

I imagine they'll get to it, but part of what appeals to me in that metaphor is the feeling of taking root. Mycorrhizae are critical to the rooting and uprooting of plants. When the Mycorrhizae network is damaged, plants are less resilient and less capable of self-propogation (aka more reliant on intentional spread/cultivation by "predators" and less capable of producing healthy, self perpetuating plant ecosystems).

The goal of Anarkata, to create with direct action and mutual aid the rooted networks of stabilization and survival, is one that serves to cultivate our own essential relationships with those networks, with each other, and with our own sense of agency and selfhood. The collective of individual entities acting in ebb and flow with one another to respond to critical needs triggered by environmental or circumstantial changes. I find the imagery of unseen entanglements that influence and restrict our decisions an incredibly apt analogy for socio-cultural descriptivism, and love the soothing of how raw many of us feel about our responsivity/reactivity to each other in the world. The idea that reactivity/responsibity is its own form of communicated knowledge, and matters in how we make decisions, even as we may often find ourselves needing to let the sensation surge and recede without intervention. There is normalization of the "yes, and..." response to emotional cues that can be so empowering and self-validating.

[asteroidtroglodyte]

You know, it’s funny.

I watch a lot of Kids Cartoons, because I have a Kid and I like hanging out with him. Cartoon animals are fairly common. They are often portrayed with familiar, human family units: a mom, a dad, a baby, maybe siblings.

It’s too bad.

The Human Family is special.

Mantids are born alone. The species that live near me cannot survive the frosts of winter, so as the days shorten and the world becomes inhospitable to them, they provision for the future by laying eggs in protective cases in places unlikely to freeze. When the days lengthen again, the babies emerge. And so. All Mantids are Orphans.

Much of Life on Earth is like this. Not just Bugs.

Most of the life on Earth is photosynthetic. Over half, by both species count and biomass. Trees and grasses and ferns and algae do not need to move, not quickly, not in a coordinated way. So they never learned to perceive their surroundings. If you cannot perceive, you cannot be attracted or repulsed; you cannot Love. Trees may nourish each other through The Great Mycorrhizae, but this is mediated by the Fungus, not the Tree.

Merlin and Dorado. Annelid and Isopod. Orphans.

An infant deer can walk within minutes of life if need be. An infant wasp may feed upon its siblings. The infant octopus’s first meal may be its mother’s corpse.

The Human infant is pulled into the world by hands. Hands that care. The Human infant is helpless, for years, requiring not only a single adult of its species but an entire village to be said to be “raised properly.” The Unloved child DIES

Love is what defines Humans. Domestication is not like Colonialism or Slavery; to Domesticate a Plant or an Animal or a Fungus, you must Love it. You must Love it for generations, handing your Love down to your descendants. Caring for the beasts and plants, feeding and sheltering them, helping them find mates. To Domesticate a species is to crown yourself their God, and I will tell you now that the noble Aurochs and the mighty Boar felt blessed by our Love, and that when Cows & Pigs are raised properly by farmers (who are not themselves property of Conglomerated Business Interests,) that the relationship between the Farmer & their Animals is one built from Love.

We are. So special for this.

It is a form of madness, after all. To see the Self in the Other. Or perhaps a divine insight. Those are hard to distinguish.

[mamawasatesttube]

i was just thinking about that recently because iwa s watching btvs and the vampires bleed and it makes NO sense 2 me at all why do they have blood. my mama said that maybe the blood they ingest goes into their bloodstream but yhey dont have heartbeats theyre UNDEAD. and theyd reach their like body's blood capacity so where would it go. i personally think that theyre actually so warped away from being human it completely restructures their bodily functions. basically they are mushrooms to me but w way less mycorrhiza. like a parasitic plant or fungus so the blood functions as their nutrients!! i think the closest would probably be hemibiotrophs w a very fast phase cycle occurring every time they feed - beginning to feed is the biotrophic phase (establishment in the host tissue) and feeding is the necrotrophic phase (killing the host and harvesting nutrients) w the blood being their nutrients and the teeth being the haustoria etc

i forgot to answer this (checks calendar) a whole fucking week ago im so sorry. but YEAH honestly you know what? vampires as fungi is a take i could be fascinated by. except i still don't understand what the hell is going on with their vascular systems, cardio or otherwise. (like... it can't be cardiovascular if they don't have beating hearts, but... like how else do their cells function tho. how do they move. whats going on.) how does the blood get from their stomachs to... i dont know. anywhere else. do they even have stomachs? because like generally speaking fungi aren't motile and don't have to worry about things like musculature. this did just lead me to the thought of "what if vampires are slime molds" but actually i don't think kingdom protista is going to save us here either. help. ive gotten wildly off track

[definitelynotshouting]

hello hello!!

learned about this fun thing called mycorrhizal fungi (myco=fungus), rhizal=root) which is complicated words used to describe the symbiotic relationship between plants and fungi that grow on their roots. the fungi are called mycorrhiza and the long and short of it is that they attach to plants roots (plants roots can only grow so large, that's their root zone or rhizosphere big words are fun) and eventually they use up the nutrients in the soil in said root zone and some nutrients (namely phosphorus which is important for the plants to copy DNA and make nucleic acids that would tell other stuff how to make proteins etc for the plant to grow and stuff) don't move so the phosphorus in the rhizosphere cant be replenished once its used up. that's where the mycorrhiza come in. they effectively extend the area the roots are able to draw nutrients from and in return the plant produces glucose (through photosynthesis) that the mycorrhiza use as food because they cant really produce their own

tldr: cool fungus lives on plant roots, it makes sure the plant gets everything it needs, the plant allows the fungus to eat the food it makes

this train of thought led me to grian as mother spore

which led me to hunger au grian

and working out a symbiotic relationship with him and other people

which led me to the idea of him being a hireable like. hype man..

like,,, need help asking someone you like out on a date? he'll heighten your confidence so you can go do the thing and he gets lunch in the process! /silly

-🍁

p.s. will gladly take blame for use of the word apricity :]

SKHWJDNEKDJKDBKWHDKEJDK REALLY FUNNY IMAGE, HELP... he's got one of those ads on facebook that pop up during the holidays for ppl who need to piss off their families /j /j

OKAY ACTUALLY FUN FACT but ive actually compared the Listeners to mycorrhizae before!!! In my head they are very fungal in nature, and thats the best way ive been able to describe the symbiotic relationship they have with the Players they fuse to. Honestly i love fungi and mycology in general, its such a deeply fascinating subject to pour a bunch of time into, and im glad you seem to be enjoying learning more about it!!! :DDD

[blemiria]

Muelsyse Oprec: Rootless Rain

Hi! This was a surprisingly interesting oprec for Muelsyse (where I almost feared they would go the plat route and it wouldn't really give us anything worthwhile, but it's actually nice!) There might be some characters that are only from Lone Trail but there really isn't any major spoiler outside of character stuff related to Muelsyse.

Biology researcher A: Kaili, how is it?

Biology researcher B: I just finished recording the data of the plants from the arctic. 53 new species entering the garden, most of them are doing well, managing to survive the initial observation period. However, as you can see…

Biology researcher A: O these two sheath leaf zelkova trees had these weird spiral patterns, this means they are dehydrated.

Those icefield cotton plants, it is clearly still in its growing period, but it’s not growing more cotton balls, and their fluffiness is less than normal.

Biology researcher B: That one is the one that shows it the most obvious. Square sunflowers should always be facing their petals towards the sun, but it’s drooping so much it’s almost touching the ground.

Biology researcher A: It’s within expectations. After all, this entire extreme habitat ecological garden has only just begun planning, our data and experience is just not enough.

Let’s go ask Director Muelsyse, she must know where our problem lies.

Biology researcher B: (Speaking of, Director Muelsyse is quite mysterious, she understands plants too well. Everyone under her thinks perhaps… Director Muelsyse may or may not be able to talk with plants.) Biology Researcher A: (Stop making up rumours)

Muelsyse: Kaili, try this new configuration for this area’s habitat’s data collection cycle, taking care to use fungus so we can use mycorrhiza to help boost the water and nutrient absorption.

Biology Researchers A & B: Director Muelsyse!

Researcher B: …but I was very carefully following the data that miss Magallan gave us to take care of the plants.

Muelsyse: These plants were the ones that Maggie brought back, but Maggie is a scientific researcher, she doesn’t quite fully understand plant biology.

Muelsyse: It’s just that when these plants were in Sami, the data she collected was correct.

Muelsyse: The ecological garden is “too warm” for them.

Muelsyse: Try turning the temperature and moisture down a bit.

Biology Researcher B: Okay, Director Muelsyse.

Muelsyse: Next let's take a look at the plateau section, come with me.

…

Sheath leaf Zellkova: …

Icefield cotton: …

Square Sunflower: …

Sheath leaf Zellkova: (happy finger movements)

Icefield cotton: (forcefully stretching oneself)

Icefield cotton: Sheath leaf zellkova, be careful, your fingers were curled, stretching them like that, be careful of straining your leaf veins.

Sheath leaf Zellkova: I haven’t said anything about you yet, moving so much, your cotton was flying onto my face.

Icefield cotton: What did that person just say? Going to the plateau section? If I let my cotton wool fly a bit further, who knows maybe I could have a chat with the legendary stipa capillata.

Sheath leaf zellkova: You just left Sami, everything is so fresh.

Oi, square sunflower, how come you’re not talking?

Square Sunflower: I’m so withered, no energy at all. Probably not used to the new environment.

Sheath leaf zellkova: No I saw them not eating and not drinking, guessing they’re depressed.

Square sunflower: …..

???: So they were depressed huh.

Sheath leaf zellkova: Who is talking?

Square sunflower: ….it’s raining.

Icefield cotton: IT can rain indoors? Is this the so-called cyclic system?

Sheath leaf zellkova: What kind of rain is this? The water droplets stuck on my branches, I can’t even shake them off? Square sunflower: …..

Muelsyse: Hello everyone, I’ll reintroduce myself. I am Muelsyse.

Sheath leaf zellkova: Oh you’ve come again, Muelsyse.

Muelsyse: sorry sorry, I just went to find Nastja to change some of the setup, that bastard is so hard to get talking, it took a bit of time to get everything sorted. 

You’re condition today is much better than before oh.

Sheath leaf zellkova: I’m getting by.

Muelsyse: Sheath leaf zellkova, you didn’t happen to curl up your leaves on purpose right?

Sheath leaf zellkova: ….

Muelsyse: For the next month before the second batch of plants arrive, the arctic section is my personal responsibility.

In the afternoon I will change your culture media, the new one is a reconfiguration based off of the dirt in Sami.

It has all the nutrients you would need, I will also control the “rain” and “fog” to replenish randomly, it won’t be as “rigid” of a schedule.

If there is anything you need just let me know. Landform, air, dirt, water, the air…whatever conditions is most suited for you to survive? No matter how bizarre, the ecological garden can take care of it.

Icefield cotton: You’re really patient, Muelsyse.

Muelsyse: Actually, ever since I started planning the ecological garden, I was going to build the arctic section, but nobody from ecological had gone to Sami, so this kept on getting pushed back

These past years at Rhinie directing ecological experiments, I thought I already was stable enough, just thinking….

Icefield cotton: Why sami? In many people's eyes, it is merely an inaccessible and cold place, sealed by its geography, mysterious and dangerous.

Muelsyse: It actually isn’t just Sami. I am interested in the lifeforms in every habitat of Terra…

Sami is also pretty special. Flarks, forests, and icefields are all arranged together, these bizarre landforms together is a bit… how do you say it, has some “force”

Additionally, while the core circle is indeed very harsh and cold, but Sami’s plants species are strangely very varied and full, this does not follow the intuitive knowledge of biology.

So I’m guessing, Sami should be very “clean.”

Icefield Cotton: “Clean?”

Muelsyse: I took a sample from you guys… in your roots, the orginium particles is much lower than average.

Icefield cotton: I don’t understand what you are talking about 

Muelsyse: Up until now, Sami was my ideal experiment environment.

Sheath leaf zellkova: So, you want to create a “Sami” in this huge glass room?

Muelsyse: glass room…yes.

Sheath leaf zellkova: Muelsyse, why? Muelsyse: because I am Rhine Lab ecology’s youngest most capable ecological researcher.

I have the power, and the responsibility to turn this large glass room into the cleanest place of all of Terra. It will have the cleanest air, the most habitable weather, the most nutrient filled dirt…

It will also have a vibrant habitat, every fragile lifeform can live freely in this dwelling.

This was what I have been chasing for… how to say it, goal.

Icefield cotton: (Using all its powers to shed its wool)

Sheath leaf zellkova: (cheerfully waving its branches)

Muelsyse: haha, thank you

Square sunflower: ….

 Was that really worth clapping for?

Muelsyse: a…

Square sunflower! You weren’t talking this whole time, suddenly opening your mouth surprised me.

Sheath leaf zellkova: Been here for half a month, he’s always been like this 

Ah man, this guy, always a bit depressing.

Icefield cotton: From Sami’s forest getting moved into this weird city, he’s still brooding about that.

We’re already here, look a bit. I had a ball of wool float into the neighbouring water habitat, even managed to feel the “saltiness of ocean water.”

Staying in Sami, you would have turned into scat already. Your flower disc’s seeds have so many special attributes, birds will treat you as food, those big appetite carnivores will use you to help digest…

Square sunflower: Just focus on shedding your wool, where does all this wordiness come from.

Icefield cotton: sigh.

Square sunflower: Muelsyse, aren’t you curious as to why after coming here I’ve withered so much?

Square sunflower’s flower disc will always search for the sun. In your habitat there was indeed a light source system, and can even mimic the various light of the sun throughout the day.

Using your words, it’s very “advanced.”

…but it still isn’t the real sun.

Muelsyse: mm….

Square sunflower: The sun is outside of this glass room. But tearing apart the glass, the room’s dirt, air, temperature, moisture, microorganism colonies are not up to par.

Even if you 100% replicate Sami’s every grain of dirt, every gust of wind, every chunk of ice, this place wouldn’t be much different from the specimen box I was transferred into.

Muelsyse: Oh, your phototaxis is too special, I truly don’t have any way of compensating.

Square Sunflower: I didn’t mean that.

Muelsye: No, I already know.

The coast, mudflats, forest, desert, black forest…every veil you pull back on nature, there will be more surprises.

No matter if it is the temperament of the four seasons, warm and inviting, cold and bitter, extreme conditions, no matter what kind of life, they are all the product of thousands of years of evolution…

It’s not a matter of not having a badly set up “experimental environment”.

Square Sunflower: This place will not be “Sami.”

Muelsyse: Ah, I really wanted to take you out of this environment, let you see the Rhine Lab headquarters, see the entirety of Trimounts.

To me, Sami is mysterious. To you at the same time, science is the mysterious one.

Science can help us defeat the natural boundaries of nature, shape a new environment, science can help us…search for new answers.

Square Sunflower: You are deluding yourself, Muelsyse.

Muelsyse: hm?

???: There is a technology company’s exploration platform in Columbia’s northern mountainous region found the last light fir species…

Muelsyse: What does this have to do with you?

???: There is a village nearby, but the records of the relevant people are already expired…as though there is an overlap with the missing people cases in Trimounts.

Muelsyse: I think it is Director Yara, she wouldn’t really care about what her employees do after work.

With your behaviour, it’s not as though you can claim the moral high ground, little Justin.

Justin: Aye, don’t mind me. I didn’t have other meaning, I also don’t have any clue what you are chasing.

I have just seen with my own two eyes the process of talking business cooperation, I thought that if I had something Director Muelsyse was interested in, maybe she would answer my request to meet.

Muelsyse: ……

The cunning business Director is really this much of a coward? Ecology’s work, it’s actually not that busy.

I’ll come find you. You’re at HQ?

Justin: I’m downstairs at the cafe. Director Muelsyse complained about my office’s decorative style, standing at the entryway not even stepping a single foot in.

Muelsyse: Then I’ll see you at your office.

Sheath leaf zellkova: You’re back. You suddenly left for half a month right?

Muelsyse: um. Ah.

Sheath leaf zellkova: Icefield cotton. She…

Muelsyse: I saw it already.

……

It’s raining in the ecological garden.

Raindrops enter the leaf veins of the Zellkova, raindrops wet the petals of the sunflower, raindrops land on the already withered plant rhizome.

The rain isn’t big, it’s not pouring, but there is no intention to stop.

Sheath leaf zellkova: Muelsyse, are you crying?

Muelsyse: ……

Sheath leaf zellkova: I’m not blaming you

That employee named Kaili already gave it her all to take care of the cotton……

Muelsyse: I know.

No matter refilling the nutrient solution, using better growth mediums, in the end it just cannot compete with Sami’s habitat. But it’s as though all of the Arctic plant groups haven’t developed fully…

Square sunflower: Hey, don’t cry, it’s getting everyone wet, it’s so uncomfortable.

Muelsyse: ……

I was thinking, the next shipment of Sami plants, should we delay planting them in the ecological garden.

Square sunflower: hm, are you someone so easily swayed?

Muelsyse: Oh, scientific discovery is hard, occasionally hitting dead ends is fairly normal.

Square sunflower: then why are you crying? Muelsyse: ……

Muelsyse: After talking to Justin, I went to visit Columbia’s northern mountainous district.

Square sunflower: Is that really far?

Muelsyse: not really, three to four days to get there… I was just there for a week.

Square sunflower: If it’s not far, then why did you just now go? Muelsyse: Because it was really hard to find, I had to look for so long.

Square sunflower: ……

Muelsyse: From all of the orphanages, going to the empty old houses I used to live in, to the Trimount’s Universty, then to Rhine Lab’s laboratories….

From the shelves lined full of old records, to nameless plaques, then to Mumu’s laboratory to report – Yes, I even used my own biological product to experiment.

I looked for so long.

I finally found it there. I thought there would be the answers I needed, regarding my parents, regarding my people, regarding myself.

Square sunflower: ……

Muelsyse: I must turn this large glass building into the cleanest place on Terra, it must have the cleanest air, the most habitable weather, the most nutrient filled dirt…

It must have the richest habitat, every fragile being must be able to live in here.

….including myself.

So, I must find these answers, I must know why my own life is so fragile, why I am so sensitive to originium.

I don’t need to know what I am, what “elves” are, I need to know how to give birth, whether or not there are still other elves out there, where my future…is.

Square sunflower: ….You didn’t find the answer, so you returned empty handed.

Muelsyse: there was only a broken village, a dying tree species, humble cemetery…. Time buried everything.

There was nothing to learn, whether or not those elves buried there were those who could answer my questions, or are the same as me; searching for the answers to the same questions without an end in sight.

Sheath leaf zellkova: Muelsyse, are you okay?

You look really tired, you can rest against my tree trunk for a bit.

Muelsyse: Square sunflower, you are right.

The ecological garden’s snowy mountain isn’t a snowy mountain, the icefield isn’t an icefield, I will never be able to recreate a “Sami”......

Because I myself am not sure, what I am looking for, what kind of place that is.

Square sunflower:......

The rain is still falling

The rootless water droplets in the ecological garden forms a curtain of drizzle.

Square sunflower: Stop crying, Muelsyse.

Sami never rained like this, your crying is destroying the arctic section’s life forms, when the plants get sick, you will have more problems.

Muelsyse: …..

Square sunflower: Actually…

Icefield cotton itself doesn’t live for very long, when the icefield’s winter wind blows strongly, there isn’t a single strand of cotton able to stay on the plant.

The past two days, the icefield cotton’s cotton balls was everywhere, there was a moment where I really thought this was Sami’s icefields.

Muelsyse: ….thank you.

Square sunflower: It was also the cotton’s fault for being so curious. When you weren’t here she let her cotton fly all over the arctic area, highlands, the coastal area. She managed to sate her curiosity.

She went through the entire ecological garden…. Close to a thousand species, there were a lot among them that were the kind that wouldn’t appear again.

Even though you said you wanted to build your ideal habitat, but what you’re doing, it’s not just that…. Hm, put it like this, you are pretty similar to that person.

Muelsyse: hm?

Square sunflower: I said I have seen someone quite similar to you.

From the beginning I already knew, just not quite as clear…..you can all “feel” us, you are all doing similar things, though you are in the lab, they are in the forest.

Plants are their bandages, raindew is their analgesic….as they should, they are stitching Sami’s injury.

Muelsyse: ….!

Square sunflower, are you sure?

Square sunflower: Of course, I was even helped by them.

The rain stops

Muelsyse stands in the center of the garden, looking at the plants in front of her deep in thought.

Muelsyse: I already did two comparative experiments, the answer were all the same. That is to say, the theories we got from your anatomy and selection results are basically correct.

Square sunflower: ….

Muelsyse: Your flower plate contains a lot of chemicals that we don’t yet know of, they brought a certainty to my theory’s results.

You really are a special plant. You have a sort of “healing” capability, just that the healing is for a sort of yet to be discovered natural species.

Square sunflower:....

Muelsyse: But the plant’s main body doesn’t have any sort of automatic healing ability.

That is to say, there is someone using you. Those people’s bodies, are a crucial part of Sami’s habitat’s mechanism.

Sami, are there my people there?

Sunlight pours through the glass, the square sunflower wiggled a bit.

Muelsyse: Thank you, my imaginary friend.

Ecological researcher: Director Muelsyse…..

Muelsyse: oh….

Ecological researcher: That, you….. Sorry for your loss! Muelsyse: ah?

Ecological researcher: Aren’t you able to talk to plants? Icefield cotton… I….

Muelsyse: Kaili, this is more ridiculous than the rumour of the old mountain goat turning themselves into a superhuman, and then sparring with Saria at night…..

Ecological researcher: ….right, I’m sorry

Oh, I was here to send you a letter.

This is the “Trimounts institute of Technology School Report”, “Ecological survey” “Natural Exchange” these three leading publications inviting to publish, they are all super interested in your latest results.

Your plant communication laboratory, in plant studies and plant system studies have all been proven to work. For biological studies, this is a huge milestone.

Muelsyse: It was all thanks to the help of everyone.

Ecological researcher: Then for the journals? Muelsyse: Let’s accept them all, but please reply to them, there might be a while before I submit a paper.

Ecological researcher: Do you need to rest for a bit? Ah right, you did just travel back from far away only to throw yourself back to work.

Muelsyse: No. I need to go to Sami for a trip.

[letstalktea]

Mycorrhiza (Part 2)

Content: Myconid x Reader, Reader has a dick (or tdick, it's not specified) but no mentioned gender, noncon, multiple partners (sort of), anal sex

Word Count: 2.5k

Previous

You could feel your fingers burning as you began to claw at the dirt, scratching away at the grass and soil until it was caked under your nails. But no matter how much you dug, you didn’t seem to get any deeper. The ground was too hard and solid for you to do anything but fruitlessly fail.

Your friend was gone and you could only kneel on the ground and stare at the spot where they vanished. There was no way to explain what happened to the authorities or their family. If you were lucky, they'd be filed as a missing person and people would be sympathetic to your friend suddenly missing when you'd been together just moments earlier. More likely, however, was that you'd be a suspect in their disappearance. They'd use your drunkenness against you and say something asinine about you getting in a fight. They'd claim you killed them and hid the body. You could already see the court drama unfolding before you. Even if you were found not guilty, more people than not would suspect you.

The thoughts kept coming in, only interrupted by a faint rumbling starting beneath your knees. The vibrations below broke your delusions of an unknown, Hollywood-inspired future and shifted your focus back to the ground.

It rumbled and grumbled, until it split at the seams and an arm reached out of the very hole you'd failed to dig. The hand pressed against the ground and dragged an entire body out behind it. Bent knees straightened out so it could stand at full height.

From the hole emerged a creature, humanoid in shape but with no face as it towered over you. It was tall – about two heads taller than you if you had been standing upright – stiff, lanky, the color of beach sand stained with freshly dropped slushies, and lined with squishy jagged edges that reminded you of a piñata's trim if the paper was rigid and unyielding. Its head, or at least the thing that looked like it could be its head, had flat, bulbous growths sticking out of it at uneven angles and asymmetrical lines. Its arms were too long, reaching past its thighs.

You froze in shock as it mindlessly stood in place, not reacting in the least to your presence. If not for the fact that you had seen it crawl out of the ground with your own two eyes not less than a minute ago, you would have suspected it to be a statue. 

You held your breath, waiting anxiously to see what the creature did now that it had pulled itself free of the Earth's embrace. When it didn't move in one way or another, you tested your luck and slowly moved your hand back. It continued to stand in place, so you moved your knee back next. One limb at a time, crawling backwards as you kept your eyes locked on it to ensure you didn't catch its attention.

If you could get through the bushes, you could hide. You could run. You could escape. You didn't have to be this thing's second victim tonight. Maybe, just maybe, if you could get away you could even get help to kill this thing and look for your friend – or, their corpse – later. If anyone believed you, that is.

One agonizing moment after the other, you scuttled further and further away from the creature.

Until you moved your leg back and felt it catch on something. No, not catch. Catch would imply you had hit something and could free yourself with some effort. What stopped you was less of a catch and more of a grab.

You could hear your heartbeat ringing in your ears, taste the sweat dripping down your face and past your lips, and feel the heat searing your nerves just behind your eyes. Slowly, with labored breaths the entire time as you tried not to panic and alert the creature, you turned your head to look behind you.

You could see the bushes. Their leaves swayed gently in the breeze and the fire just behind them gave them a spectral glow. They were bountiful and vibrant, filled with young berries that animals would gladly pick off once they were ripened. They were the boarded that promised you safety.

But they were beyond your reach.

Instead of their protective embrace, your eyes traveled downward toward your caught leg. Wrapped around your ankle, at the ring of mushroom's edge, was an eggshell white hand with yellow painted fingers reaching out of the ground.

To keep from screaming, something you very much wanted to do, you covered your mouth with one of your hands. The other burned from being forced to hold up the entirety of your weight as you lashed out your free leg to try and kick at the inhuman hand holding you.

It was soft and giving to your strikes on the outside, but the layer just beneath the surface was tough and sounded hollow. It didn't appear to react to your kicks in the least, seemingly unbothered by your feeble attempts to free yourself.

Rather than the hand giving in and setting you free, it was you who finally gave in and screamed the moment another hand burst from the circle's edge and grabbed at your other foot to hold it in place. 

Hands burst forth from the ground and clawed at each of your limbs to hold you in place; your ankles, calves, wrists, forearms, one even grabbed at the fabric of your shirt and pants so fiercely that it tore your clothing to shreds, leaving you naked under the pale light if the stars and moon.

"H- HELP!" you screamed out into the night air, desperately seeking any aid you possibly could.

But you already knew that no one could hear you, let alone come to your rescue. Even if they could, there was realistically nothing they could do aside from stare. It made you aware of one terrible truth: you were going to die here.

That's why, when you heard the soft sound of fresh grass being crushed beneath the creature's feet as it walked closer, you could only look up at it with half-dead eyes.

It had no face, but you got the strangest feeling it was staring at you. Or maybe you were attributing logical reactions to an illogical situation to ease your own mind. It wasn't as if any of this made sense in the first place, so the way you tried to comprehend it shouldn't have mattered.

The creature stopped in front of you and you wondered if you would soon discover what it had done to your friend. Perhaps it would show you a worse fate. Maybe you would get lucky and wake up with a start next to the firepit after having drunk so much you passed out. It didn't matter. You were too tired to question what happened next.

The creature again became as still as a statue, but this time, because you had finally given up on escape and were listening to the world around you rather than your own thoughts, you could hear a faint humming. It was a terrible sound, like screaming, but it sounded familiar. Not in the sense that you'd heard it before, but in the same sense that a child remembered how its mother starved while she was pregnant. It was a sound carved into your ancestors' DNA and passed down to you through generations of unspoken trauma.

And it was that same trauma that forced your eyes to look forward at the creature rather than darting your pupils to confirm the movement you were seeing in your periphery. If you didn’t acknowledge that it wasn't the only one here, that others were digging themselves out of the earth around you, maybe you could lie to yourself a little longer and pretend you would be alright.

Or, you could pretend until the hands holding your body in place joined the many clawing their way out of the ground and encircled you. Now it wasn't just the singular creature in front of you but a small herd of them surrounding you on all sides.

The leader – the original one – hummed again and the others hummed in turn. The creatures holding onto you, in perfect unison, went from pinning you in place to picking up your tired body and holding you above the ground for their leader's perusal.

You were too exhausted after fighting for so long to care about how exposed you were. It was just one more short lived humiliation before you were finally killed by these things. If you were lucky, maybe they would tear you apart so that whoever found you would consider you a murder victim rather than some weird pervert who went gallivanting around campsites without your clothing. It would at least be closer to the truth than any random passerby would know.

But as they held you, skillfully flipped you over so that you were seated in their embrace and facing their leader, there was a shocking lack of hostility. If anything, the creatures seemed to be quite gentle as they moved you according to their unknowable whims.

They all hummed, and the creatures holding onto your legs spread them apart. Even with all your efforts to keep your legs together, they were stronger.

The leader stepped forward and stood motionlessly between your legs, only interrupted by a tilt of its head that reminded you of a confused dog. The thought of it delaying whatever its plans were because of confusion made you chuckle quietly. Or maybe you were laughing because there was nothing better to do.

The creature reached for its crotch – or what the equivalent of it was, at least– as smooth and bare as a plastic doll, while it continued to stare at you. As it ran its soft, ridged fingers over the blank surface, you could see something growing just below its touch.

When it moved away its hand, you could see that it was no longer sexless. Nestled between its legs was what you could only compare to a dick, alabaster and long and thick. It was the kind of beast people claimed to want when they were fucking around with their friends, but made them wary to see in real life. Except this creature wasn't human and the thing that looked like a dick was worse than a beast. 

It leaked. Not in the way a pretty cock did when it was excited, but the entire length leaked. It reminded you of the sticky white liquid that seeped out of a plant stem when it was cut, except this was pouring out in thick globs across the entire shaft.

The leader rested its thick cock, cool and sticky and slimy, against your sex, like it was comparing its work against your own.

You tried, and failed, to jerk your limbs away again so you could break free. "Get the fuck off of me!"

None of the creatures reacted to your attempt. Instead, one of them slipped two of their fingers (if you could even call the thick  appendages that) so far into your mouth that they tickled the back of your throat. It tasted of dirt, death, and decay so profusely that it made you gag.

You closed your eyes as pain assaulted you. Tears welled up and spilled over as your jaw was stretched and held open by the thing holding you in place, pain growing and festering in the corners of your mouth where the flesh was pulled taut. 

Then you felt something pinching against the entrance of your ass and your eyes flew open again.

That creature, that bipedal fungus, pressed its faux cock against the ring of muscles fighting to keep it out, forcibly prying you open – with the help of the liquid it leaked that seemed to loosen you up – as it pushed forward without a care or concern. And you screamed. Around the fingers still shoved down your throat, you screamed. You screamed in fear. You screamed in disgust. You screamed in anger. You screamed because of the pain of its cock tearing through your ass. You screamed as it bottomed out inside of you, so deep that you could feel it in your guts. You screamed when its hips pulled back, taking with it globs of that slimy stuff that had leaked into your ass during its assault. And you screamed when it did it all again.

It was fucking you.

The sloppy, brutal pace of its thrusts tore you open, the slick fluid dripping out of its cock only helping it keep its pace without catching or stuttering. It was animalistic on the surface, but there was something pragmatic and mechanical about the way it moved. Like it was mimicking something it had seen once upon a time rather than any real passion.

The group of creatures holding on to you hummed and bent your spine. As your back arched and they leaned you backward, you finally noticed that another creature had been standing behind you, and this one was as well endowed as the one already buried in your ass.

Every muscle in your body tightened as fear rippled through you, especially as the fingers in your mouth somehow stretched even further and left your jaw wide open so the creature could force its dick down your throat as the fingers absconded. The way it violated your mouth was distressingly similar to the way your ass was being fucked, almost like the two were moving in a synchronized rhythm. The taste of the goo dripping from its cock was salty, slightly rich in the same way as meat, and thick on your tongue. It was like you were drowning.

Something inside of you clenched, wound tight like a spring before it snapped, like you were about to come around the foul cocks of these things… but their movement stopped right before you tipped over the edge.

Relief washed over you as you felt the one buried in your ass pulling out. You could feel your hole still gaping and sore from the assault, but you were glad that it was over…

Until you felt another one, one you were sure was different from the other, take its place. 

As both of their rhythms fell into line again, you closed your eyes, trying to will away the pain and attempting to drift off somewhere else. Somewhere you were safe. Somewhere with your friend alive and well. Somewhere else that wasn’t here.

[dustedmagazine]

Mycorrhizae — The Great Filtration (Big Bovine Industrial Wastes)

Given its associations with fungi, Mycorrhizae might seem like a name better suited to a death metal band, and the damper and danker, the better. But Travis Minnick’s Mycorrhizae is a black metal project, and when you listen to The Great Filtration, the moniker begins to make some sense. The speed with which fungal lifeforms grow, the flying clouds of tiny spores, the rhizomic proliferation of underground shoots and channels — all that stuff gets registered in Mycorrhizae’s rapidly whirring, buzzing, sinuous sound. It’s simultaneously raw and unexpectedly canorous, rich and fetid and weirdly brittle. Like the taste of a dried candy cap mushroom, Mycorrhizae’s music is layered and complex.

The more complicated question is how seriously we’re supposed to take this stuff. The video Minnick has created for “Strength in Space” is appealingly bananas, and tonally inscrutable. Two dudes in camo and Ghillie suits, one of them snow white, run through dense forest and lovingly shred on their guitars. Are they collecting some shrooms? Stocking up for the apocalypse? Just generally taking the piss? This reviewer sort of loves the way the video plays it straight and, through its sheer, unblinking enthusiasm, seems to undercut its own gravid weightiness.

The music has the same force. It moves at an unflagging top gear, full of riffage and wide-eyed ideas; but it all flies by so quickly that it can be hard to track, and by the sixth song on The Great Filtration (a terrific tune called “Unwielding”), it’s a bit exhausting. That may be part of the band’s symbolic gambit. The deep microbial, organic processes of mycorrhizae are also relentless, remarkable for their energies, essential to life even as their fungoid nature signals dark, cold, underground properties that make us think of death. In that way, Mycorrhizae captures some of the most provoking ambiguities of black metal: it wants to be subterranean, shadowy and dead, but its very essentials render the music vigorous, and very much alive.

Jonathan Shaw

[asteroidtroglodyte]

Ok so the Scientific Viewpoint is good for a lot of things, but for various historical and theological reasons it has a hard time explaining Fungus, so if you’ll allow me to be poetic & nonChristian:

The World is Alive. Just as you have organs made of cells, The World has Lineages made of organisms. The Lineages are like your organs: they perform tasks, and the interwoven products of their tasks create the ecosystem, just as the interwoven labors of your organs produce you.

The Producers, like Trees and Algae and Grass, capture the sunlight. But! They cannot really live inside of things. Like, say, critically, soil. Fungus is that which lives inside. The colonization of land by Life occurred in many stages, but Plants and Fungus were first, and moved in together. it is worthy of note that over 85% of Plant Lineages have hookups in their roots to tap into The Great Mycorrhizae: the subterranean network of Fungal filaments which is the digestive system of The World. Those mushrooms that you can see are mere warts on the back of a beast that stretches from horizon to horizon, given the chance, and which feeds every forest you have ever walked through.

Animals are the Lineages that move. It is very important for coordinated movement to have a Body Plan that is Known, and so the type of Organisms we are most familiar with and most similar too are generally discrete. Specific.

Fungus and Plants are much less… picky, about morphology. A Tree may branch in many ways! A Human may only have 4 limbs. To be otherwise is to be Wrong. It does not harm the Oak to be Variable; it does harm the Human. And Funguses are threaded Organisms; they grow directionally, towards and into their Food, and their analogue to Sex often involves merging bodily.

…I am getting away from my point.

You could think of Fungus as the Digestive System of The World. In this metaphor, Animals like Humans would be the Sense Organs, directing and coordinating, and Plants would be the Muscles and Bones, performing the actual work of Production. The Plants build it up, the Animals rearrange it, and the Fungus breaks it down, to feed it back to the Plants.

Again, the roots of almost all plants hook into the subterranean Fungal net. The ones that don’t are usually parasites, or have their own personal symbiote that they carry around with them (like the Morning Glory). Fungus and Plant are incomplete without each other. Our urge to dissect and vivisect, to cut away, has blinded us to the Reality. Much the same way that many Plant’s reproductive cycles do not make sense in an Animal-free context, the life of Fungus is similarly interwoven with the flesh of the Plants.

This is what I mean when I say there are weaknesses to the Academic Viewpoint. Many Living Things make little to no sense Out Of Context, and the Scientific Method is all about removing context. Powerful, but not omniscient.

tell me something nice

[sossupummit]

Author: AnarkataTitle: Move Like MycorrhizaeSubtitle: Some Suggestions for PraxisDate: 2022Source: 115.-anarkata-move-like-mycorrhizae.pdf What are mycorrhizae? mycorrhizae (pronounced “my-core-ih-zigh”) are mutual relationships between fungi and plant roots. They move nutrients between plants they are connected to. They can also sap nutrients from one part of a fungal network. They spread vastly within an ecosystem in ways that prevent researchers from being able to trace where the network begins or ends. They play both pathogenic and symbiotic roles. They develop in very steady, slow ways. Occasionally you see mushrooms sprouting up, aboveground, but mycorrhizae are primarily an underground entity. In this Kickback we see them as emblems for what Anarkata movement building feels like, since we work from the ground (or underground), and work from the roots (as Black Anarchic Radicals). Kritical Kickbacks Kritical Kickbacks are chill, accessible, nonhierarchical, chance to get in touch w anarkata principles through political education, mutual aid, or both. Since we push ourselves to an Anarkata frequency here, we want to center the most marginal among us, guard the lane against harm in the space, keep ourselves to that wavelength and not reproduce any transphobia, ableism, religious bias, fatphobia, or any oppression. This also means these spaces don’t demand vocalizing thoughts of everyone but also that the voices of the most marginal among us who want to communicate is prioritized. Black August – Black August is a time to commemorate Black freedom struggle, to fast, to study, to train, to fight. Almost five decades old now, Black August began in California prisons after the death of George Jackson in the 70s. Focused on revolutionary freedom fighters, the Black August tradition has grown to harness attention to a range of important moments in Black history—such as the Ferguson uprising which happened in August 2014, the birth of Marsha P Johnson on August 24th, and the birth of Oluwatoyin Salau today, to name a few. Black August has spread beyond the prison movement to other political trajectories like the wild thing/Anarkata Turn. We commit to study, solidarity, struggle, and spiritual care in the name of the most marginal. Introduction Anarkata has nine ideological touchstones that help us build revolutionary communities in a way that is 1) Pan African/African-centered, 2) anarchic, and broad based in terms of drawing on 3) Black militant traditions and multiple tendencies such as 4) Black feminism, 5) Queer/trans liberation, 6) Disability Justice, 7) Black Radical Ecology, 8) Afropessimism/Counterhumanism, 9) Prison Abolition. We work to undermine and destroy all hierarchy and class domination, by harnessing radical (anti-capitalist, anti-colonial) propositions around Black cultures of opposition. We fight for self-determination and Black autonomy, through centering the most marginal, and building from below. This requires a dialectic between communalistic organizing models and comprehensive organizing models, because this allows us to combat both internal threats and external threats to Black liberation. Internal threats are manipulative, abusive, selfish, ego-driven community members, especially cis men who have not done the work to deprioritize tendencies toward cishetero-masculinism and gender violence or even boujie folk (and boujie wanna bes) who put their aspirations for success under capitalism in the way of the activities and perspectives we need to actually get free. External threats are infiltrators, wreckers, snitches, feds/police, fascists who want to bring about our demise. We must guard the lane against all of these, and we do this most effectively by grounding ourselves in Black Anarcha/Trans Feminist (or “Anarcho-Pantherist”) understandings, methods, and principles such as intersectional (margin-centering) analysis, care work, trauma-informed approaches, boundary setting, capacity work, accountability culture, restorative/transformative insights, consent culture, political education, mutual aid, and community defense. From there we try to build a revolutionary movement in a way that encompasses multiple spheres of activity, to address different facets and phases of struggle. This is a complex task that historically folk have taken a rigid, centralized, “build the party” approach to meet. Anarkatas avoid this framework because it has been hierarchical or authoritarian in many ways. What is hierarchy? Anarkatas say all hierarchies leave Black people vulnerable to capitalist exploitation and colonial domination. In a hierarchy, someone or some group/class has authority and uneven access to resources, knowledge, skills to push their will or interests on another person or group. In a hierarchy those with authority reinforce the material interests of the ruling (capitalist/colonizer) class by keeping people subject to their own (or someone else’s) authority and access to resources, knowledge, skills. Hierarchies are generally upheld by those whose interests are not aligned with the best interests of the masses or margins, although sometimes the oppressed reproduce them. In a hierarchy, the person/people with authority exert their will/interests over others at the interpersonal and organizational level, in ways that ultimately reinforces or intersects with the coercion, manipulation, violence, neglect, repression and exclusion built into larger structures of dominance, oppression, exploitation. Hierarchy causes important information, leadership skills, resources, and power/access in the world of revolutionary activity to get centralized in and dictated by one place (or individual). This can limit the capacity for members of the community to freely or organically take initiative in matters of liberation struggle. This also puts movements at risk of infiltration, intel-gathering, and destruction by the enemies/feds/pigs/wreckers because now there are easily identifiable Great Men running things who can be targeted. Historically speaking, and even now, such individuals are often men, and such orgs are cis male dominated or masculinist in their character. And even when they are not, they run the risk of reproducing patriarchy or some other form of oppression (such as ableism) heaping all kinds of violence and exclusion that does direct harm to our beloved community members and vastly underdevelops the movement. ...

[medicalbiochem]

Exploring the Fascinating World of Microbiology

The Core Concepts of Microbiology

Microbiology focuses on microorganisms that remain invisible to the naked eye. These include bacteria, viruses, fungi, protozoa, and algae. Understanding these organisms and their interactions proves vital for several reasons, ranging from health to environmental sustainability.

Bacteria: The Ubiquitous Microbes

Bacteria are single-celled organisms that thrive in diverse environments, from extreme heat to intense cold. They can inhabit soil, oceans, and even the human body. These microbes play essential roles in processes such as nitrogen fixation, decomposition, and fermentation. Some bacteria benefit us by aiding in digestion and producing vitamins, while others can cause diseases.

Nitrogen Fixation

Nitrogen fixation is a process where certain bacteria convert atmospheric nitrogen into ammonia, making it available for plants. This process occurs in the root nodules of leguminous plants, where symbiotic bacteria, such as Rhizobium, reside. By facilitating nitrogen fixation, these bacteria contribute significantly to soil fertility and agricultural productivity.

Decomposition and Recycling

Bacteria also play a critical role in decomposing organic matter. They break down dead plants and animals, returning nutrients to the soil. This decomposition process not only recycles nutrients but also promotes soil health, making it essential for sustainable ecosystems.

Viruses: The Intricate Invaders

Viruses act as unique entities that require a host cell to replicate. They can infect all forms of life, from bacteria to plants and animals. These microscopic agents cause a range of diseases, from the common cold to more severe illnesses like influenza and COVID-19. Despite their negative impact, scientists use viruses in gene therapy and vaccine development.

Viral Structure and Function

A virus consists of genetic material (DNA or RNA) encased in a protein coat. Some viruses have an outer lipid envelope. To infect a host, a virus attaches to a specific receptor on the host cell’s surface. Once inside, it hijacks the host’s cellular machinery to replicate its genetic material and produce new virus particles.

Applications in Medicine

Researchers leverage viruses in various medical applications. For example, oncolytic viruses selectively target and destroy cancer cells while sparing healthy tissue. Additionally, viral vectors are employed in gene therapy to deliver therapeutic genes into patients’ cells, offering potential cures for genetic disorders.

Fungi: The Decomposers

Fungi, including molds and yeasts, break down organic matter. They are vital for nutrient cycling in ecosystems. Fungi contribute to soil health and plant growth through their interactions with plant roots. We use them in food production, such as baking and brewing, and they have medicinal applications, including the production of antibiotics like penicillin.

Role in Ecosystems

Fungi form symbiotic relationships with plants through mycorrhizae, enhancing nutrient uptake. This relationship benefits both the fungi and the plants, as fungi gain carbohydrates while plants receive essential nutrients, such as phosphorus.

Medicinal Uses of Fungi

The discovery of penicillin marked a groundbreaking moment in medicine, showcasing fungi’s potential in antibiotic production. Today, researchers continue to explore fungi for new medicinal compounds, including antifungal agents and immunosuppressants.

Protozoa and Algae: The Diverse Eukaryotes

Protozoa are single-celled eukaryotes that often live in water or act as parasites. They can cause diseases such as malaria, amoebic dysentery, and sleeping sickness. Algae, on the other hand, photosynthesis and contribute to oxygen production while serving as a food source for aquatic life.

Protozoan Diversity

Protozoa exhibit a wide range of forms and behaviors. Some, like amoebas, move using pseudopodia, while others, like paramecia, use cilia. This diversity allows protozoa to inhabit various environments and ecological niches.

Algal Blooms and Environmental Impact

Algae play a crucial role in aquatic ecosystems as primary producers. However, certain conditions can lead to harmful algal blooms, which produce toxins that threaten aquatic life and human health. Understanding these phenomena helps researchers develop strategies to manage and mitigate their impact.

The Impact of Microbiology on Health

Disease Diagnosis and Treatment

Microbiologists work diligently to identify pathogens responsible for infections and develop methods to combat them. Techniques such as culture methods, PCR, and serological tests allow for accurate diagnosis of infections.

Culture Techniques

Culturing microorganisms involves isolating them from clinical samples to identify the causative agent of an infection. This method enables healthcare professionals to determine the appropriate treatment based on the specific pathogen.

Molecular Diagnostics

Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) has revolutionized disease diagnosis by allowing for rapid and sensitive detection of pathogens. PCR amplifies specific DNA sequences, making it easier to identify infections even when pathogen levels are low.

Vaccine Development

Vaccines utilize weakened or inactive parts of the microbe to stimulate the immune system. Microbiology plays a pivotal role in designing vaccines that protect against diseases like measles, polio, and more recently, COVID-19.

Types of Vaccines

Vaccines can be classified into various types, including live-attenuated, inactivated, subunit, and mRNA vaccines. Each type has its unique mechanism of action and benefits, allowing scientists to tailor vaccines for specific diseases.

The Role of Microbiology in Vaccine Safety

Microbiologists conduct extensive testing to ensure vaccine safety and efficacy. They analyze potential side effects and monitor vaccine responses in clinical trials, ensuring that vaccines provide protection without causing harm.

Antibiotic Resistance

Overuse and misuse of antibiotics have led to the emergence of resistant strains of bacteria. Researchers study these strains to develop new antibiotics and strategies to combat resistance.

Mechanisms of Resistance

Bacteria can develop resistance through various mechanisms, including altering drug targets, producing enzymes that deactivate antibiotics, or pumping drugs out of their cells. Understanding these mechanisms helps scientists design more effective antibiotics.

Global Health Threat

Antibiotic resistance poses a significant threat to global health, making previously treatable infections harder to manage. Public health campaigns focus on promoting responsible antibiotic use and encouraging research into new treatment options.

Microbiology and the Environment

Microorganisms significantly impact the environment. They participate in nutrient cycling, biodegradation, and bioremediation, helping to clean up pollutants and waste.

Nutrient Cycling

Microorganisms play a key role in nutrient cycles, such as the carbon and nitrogen cycles. They break down organic matter and release essential nutrients back into the ecosystem.

Carbon Cycle

In the carbon cycle, microorganisms decompose organic matter, releasing carbon dioxide back into the atmosphere. This process ensures the continuous availability of carbon for photosynthesis, supporting plant life and maintaining ecosystem balance.

Nitrogen Cycle

Nitrogen-fixing bacteria convert atmospheric nitrogen into a form that plants can absorb. This process supports plant growth and sustains agricultural productivity by enriching the soil with essential nutrients.

Biodegradation and Bioremediation

Certain microbes degrade pollutants, making them invaluable for cleaning up oil spills, heavy metals, and other environmental contaminants. This process, known as bioremediation, offers a sustainable and cost-effective solution for environmental management.

Oil Spill Cleanup

Microorganisms, particularly certain bacteria and fungi, can metabolize hydrocarbons found in oil. By applying these microbes to oil spills, environmental scientists can enhance the degradation of pollutants, restoring affected ecosystems.

Heavy Metal Removal

Some bacteria can absorb and detoxify heavy metals from contaminated water and soil. Researchers explore these properties to develop bioremediation strategies that mitigate the impact of industrial pollution on the environment.

Industrial Applications of Microbiology

We harness microbes for various industrial applications, including food production, pharmaceuticals, and biotechnology.

Food and Beverage Industry

Microorganisms contribute to producing fermented foods and beverages, such as yogurt, cheese, and beer. The fermentation process enhances flavor, preserves food, and improves digestibility.

Fermentation Process

Fermentation occurs when microorganisms convert sugars into acids, gases, or alcohol. In yogurt production, lactic acid bacteria ferment lactose, creating a tangy flavor while preserving the product.

Health Benefits of Fermented Foods

Fermented foods often contain probiotics, which promote gut health. These beneficial bacteria can improve digestion, enhance nutrient absorption, and support the immune system.

Pharmaceutical Industry

Microorganisms serve as sources for antibiotics, enzymes, and vitamins. We use them in producing insulin, growth hormones, and other therapeutic agents, showcasing their versatility in medicine.

Antibiotic Production

Fungi, particularly Penicillium species, produce penicillin, the first antibiotic discovered. Today, researchers continue to explore fungi and bacteria for new antibiotic compounds, addressing the growing issue of antibiotic resistance.

Biopharmaceuticals

Recombinant DNA technology allows scientists to produce therapeutic proteins using genetically modified microorganisms. This approach enables the mass production of insulin and other vital medications.

Biotechnology

In biotechnology, scientists engineer microbes to produce biofuels, biodegradable plastics, and other sustainable products. Genetic engineering and synthetic biology advance these applications, offering solutions to global challenges.

Biofuels

Researchers use specific strains of bacteria and algae to produce biofuels, such as ethanol and biodiesel. These microbes convert biomass—like agricultural waste—into energy-rich compounds. This process not only provides an alternative to fossil fuels but also contributes to reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Biodegradable Plastics

Microorganisms play a crucial role in developing biodegradable plastics. Scientists engineer bacteria to produce polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs), which serve as eco-friendly alternatives to traditional plastics. These bioplastics can degrade naturally, minimizing environmental pollution.

Synthetic Biology

Synthetic biology combines biology and engineering, enabling scientists to design and construct new biological parts or systems. This field allows for the creation of microorganisms that can produce valuable compounds, such as pharmaceuticals or biofuels, efficiently and sustainably.

Recent Advancements in Microbiology

The field of microbiology continually evolves, with new discoveries and technologies enhancing our understanding of the microbial world.

Metagenomics

Metagenomics involves the study of genetic material recovered directly from environmental samples. This approach allows scientists to study microbial communities without the need for culturing, offering insights into biodiversity and ecosystem functions.

Applications of Metagenomics

Metagenomics has revolutionized our understanding of microbial diversity in various environments, including oceans, soils, and even the human gut. Researchers can identify novel species and understand their roles in ecosystems, contributing to fields such as ecology, agriculture, and medicine.

Human Microbiome Projects

Projects focused on the human microbiome utilize metagenomic techniques to analyze the complex communities of microbes living in and on our bodies. Understanding these communities can lead to insights into health, disease, and personalized medicine.

CRISPR and Gene Editing

CRISPR technology, derived from bacterial immune systems, revolutionizes genetics by allowing precise edits to DNA. This technology has vast implications for treating genetic disorders and developing new therapies.

CRISPR Mechanism

CRISPR-Cas9 works as a molecular scissors that can cut DNA at specific locations, allowing scientists to add, remove, or alter genetic material. This precision opens up possibilities for targeted therapies in genetic diseases, cancers, and more.

Ethical Considerations

As with any powerful technology, CRISPR raises ethical questions, particularly regarding its use in human embryos and potential long-term effects. Ongoing discussions among scientists, ethicists, and policymakers aim to establish guidelines for responsible use.

Microbiome Research

The human microbiome, consisting of trillions of microbes living in and on our bodies, remains a hot topic in research. Studies reveal its influence on health, disease, and even behavior, opening new avenues for personalized medicine.

Health Implications of the Microbiome

Research suggests that the composition of the microbiome can affect various health outcomes, including obesity, diabetes, and autoimmune diseases. Understanding these relationships can lead to innovative treatment approaches, such as probiotics or microbiome-based therapies.

Microbiome and Mental Health

Emerging studies explore the gut-brain axis, investigating how gut microbiota can influence mood and mental health. Preliminary findings suggest that certain gut bacteria may play a role in conditions like anxiety and depression, highlighting the interconnectedness of our biological systems.

The Future of Microbiology

As we look to the future, the field of microbiology promises to deliver exciting advancements that can address some of today’s most pressing challenges.

Global Health Initiatives

Microbiology plays a vital role in global health initiatives, particularly in combating infectious diseases. Vaccination programs, antibiotic stewardship, and research on emerging pathogens will remain crucial in improving public health outcomes worldwide.

Surveillance and Response

Enhanced surveillance systems for detecting and responding to outbreaks will become increasingly important. Advances in molecular diagnostics and bioinformatics will allow for rapid identification of pathogens and effective containment measures.

Environmental Sustainability

Microbiology’s contributions to environmental sustainability will continue to grow. Bioremediation, biofuels, and sustainable agriculture practices will become essential components of efforts to combat climate change and reduce pollution.

Innovations in Agriculture

Research into beneficial microbes for agriculture, such as plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR), will enhance crop yields while minimizing chemical inputs. This approach can lead to more sustainable farming practices that protect the environment.

Education and Public Awareness

Increasing public awareness and understanding of microbiology will be essential in promoting informed decision-making. Education on the importance of microbes in health, environment, and industry can foster appreciation for the microscopic world.

Engaging the Next Generation

Encouraging interest in microbiology among students will help cultivate the next generation of scientists and innovators. Educational initiatives, outreach programs, and hands-on experiences can inspire young minds to explore the fascinating field of microbiology.

Conclusion

Microbiology stands as a dynamic and essential field that impacts every aspect of life, from health and industry to the environment. As research progresses, our understanding of microorganisms and their capabilities continues to grow, offering solutions to some of the world’s most pressing challenges. By embracing the potential of microbiology, we can pave the way for innovations that enhance our quality of life and protect our planet.

Whether you’re a student, a professional, or simply curious about the microscopic world, the study of microbiology offers endless opportunities for discovery and advancement. As we continue to explore and harness the power of microbes, the future of microbiology promises to be as exciting as it is vital.

[butts-bouncing-on-the-beltway]

Thanks for the tag @greencloakedfae

Three Non-romantic Duos [in order of chronology of exposure]:

1) Kate Todd and Tony DiNozzo, NCIS (the later season canon survival AU can kiss my ass)

2) Syenite/Essun and Alabaster, The Broken Earth Trilogy

3) Lola and Francis, Reign

A Ship That Might Surprise Others:

I honestly don't think my ships are ever going to surprise anybody really, but maybe Barbara Howard and Melissa Schemmenti, Abbott Elementary

Last Song:

Oh that's easy, lol, I've been reviewing my playlists for to make a mixtape for my baby cousin, so the last thing I listened to was "u" by Kendrick Lamar (OBVIOUSLY this was immediately preceded by "i" because to do otherwise is sacrilege to me)

Last Film:

Lmao I don't watch movies, so this'll take a minute. I think that unfortubately there is a REALLY solid chance that the last movie I watched was John Tucker Must Die

Currently Reading:

[Fiction] Libba Bray's The Diviner's series

[Non-Fiction] Anarkata's Move Like Mycorrhizae - Some Suggestions For Praxis

Currently Watching:

For the drama - Reign

For the quality - Dimension 20 Misfits and Magic

For the sleep-inducing absurdity - Designated Survivor

Currently Consuming:

A truly unfathomable amount of heritage crafting technical/critical exploration, including a lot of history bounding garment making, manual wood carving and carpentry techniques, wild-crafting ecological management, and nutritional studies.

Currently Craving:

Fluidsssssssss, my guy I am so dehydrated rn lol literally spent the day looking up how to get IV therapy

Tags if they wanna:

@loreofthejungle

@emrylurkeroftheloch

@nerdomancer

@headspace-hotel

[turtlesandfrogs]

Change absolutely needs to come at a system level, and particularly needs to focus on subsidies & water allocation. Putting pressure on individuals is absolutely ass-backwards when so many are struggling to house and feed themselves- and they aren't the ones shaping the market and what's easy and affordable anyway.

The thing is, much of the damage that is being done is the result of growing too much corn & soy, which most of gets turned into animal food for CAFOs, and it's incredibly inefficient to feed food edible to humans through an animal first. Like, look at the feed conversion ratios, or just know about trophic levels. It's also not healthy when compared with pasture raised animals.

That, and a huge amount of water is being used to irrigate alfalfa to feed cows. That's apparently a big factor in California and the whole Colorado River drying up thing.

But truly, agricultural output is shaped hugely by subsidies, and we produce way too much of some things, and not enough of others.

Part of the thing, though, is that we, across multiple cultures, eat way more meat per person than we used to, even just a couple generations ago. That came about because of very cheap corn and soy and moving animals indoors and off of pasture and foraging grounds, and the effects are huge. And it's really, really inefficient.

As to the silence, I think there's two things going on. First, a lot of plant-based folks/vegans who are concerned about the environment, do talk a lot about palm oil, and how it's really bad, and avoid it. I personally know more vegans who refuse to buy products with palm oil in them than non-vegans who even know what it is (among people I know in real life). And palm oil isn't the only one. And a lot do actually talk about pesticide use and soil degradation, but that's a convo that's not very controversial, so it doesn't get a lot of attention.

Secondly, I think a lot of people see getting reductions in animal agriculture as a low-hanging fruit, because again, feed conversion ratios, and how much of our crop land goes to feed animals that aren't on pasture. A lot of the crops that are grown in ways that are worse for the environment than cow pasture go on to be fed to cows, when they're not on pasture.

And there's lots of people growing plants who are super into soil health, nutrient density, and farming in an ecological way, already. Intercropping, planting insectary strips, living mulches, doing as much as we can to support mycorrhizae, etc, would all be huge improvements. And some farmers are already there, but wouldn't it be interesting if our food subsidies accounted for nutrient density and encouraged such practices?

reading takes on making the human diet sustainable makes me cringe...everything is oversimplified to the point of harm and the emphasis on Personal Choice (Buy Different Product!) is. suspect.

We're not talking enough about how genuine food scarcity isn't a thing. The problem is that food production and access is regulated by markets, not actual human need, and we overproduce and produce really inefficiently, and capitalism has no mechanism within itself to shut an ultimately unsustainable process down before the repercussions start.

I'm also really suspicious of the emphasis on plant-based diets as the answer to everything, because whenever people talk about the negative impacts of meat, it seems like problems in farming plants are being neglected and ignored.

It's weird. It's seriously really really weird. It's like, total silence about the wildly unsustainable and destructive plant crops that are out there (palm oil? anyone?). And pesticide use and topsoil degradation aren't being considered.

There are some specific ways where plant crops can be horribly worse for the ecosystem than a cow pasture. Pastures at least host a variety of plants that support insects and small animals. Plant crops on the other hand are often sprayed with tons of insecticides and herbicides which create a lifeless monoculture, as well as synthetic fertilizers. All of this stuff gets into waterways and contaminates them.

Seriously, the use of pesticides is a major cause of the decline of insects, as well as amphibians and other aquatic life. It's hugely worrying and it's like everyone's forgot about it all of a sudden

[hellmouth-manor]

Mycorrhiza // Poppy // MM 3 // ATTN: Micah, open your damn mouth

As the rest of the demons filter in from their wayward expedition, Poppy doesn’t really look up from their self-administered busywork of slowly yet surely ripping apart the table … except when Miranda speaks up. She, at least, gets a lukewarm smile from them. However, that disappears as soon as Raoul mentions Micah. Their hands stop in the middle of scraping the gold leaf off of a chess piece they found on the table. They look ahead at nothing, black and yellow eyes unblinking, as they make ten moves ahead and then retrace their steps, and come to some sort of a conclusion.

“...”

Their mouth is a tight line, and as they speak, their words are very quiet and deliberate.

“Turn over a log and find the soft and crawling underbelly. There is a psychological burning in your lungs when you press your thumb into a rotted fruit and see it puff sporelike into the air….”

“The spider web on the sofa in the Mastermind’s chambers… or… maybe… mycorrhiza… ah… you truly are thematic… if the mycorrhiza is intact, the mushroom can always sprout anew. Truly, you would be indestructible...”

“... The worm, too, would fit thematically to the crawling underbelly… a beast to fit the man it represents. A worm will turn, hm?”

They finally stand up from the table, the chair behind them creaking as they forcibly push it aside. Their hair stands on end as their tail slowly, deliberately, swishes from side to side.

“... Micah… open your mouth… when we first met, you ate a hard rock candy and broke your teeth. I would like to see you open your mouth and show if you are still missing that tooth.”

“I won’t ask twice.”

There is something incredibly cold behind their words, something that runs deeper than just anger. The crack of a glacier, low and resounding, almost mournful in its echo as it begins to break apart...

But, ultimately, crushing you all the same. 

[chris-mga2022mi5019]

⚪️Objective hat | which focuses on facts and logic | Introduction

One of the kingdom ignored by most of us, yet it plays a vital role in the entire food chain of life on Earth. This kingdom includes Mushrooms, yeasts, molds, truffles, lichens and disease fungi. Their deep Mycorrhiza root networks help feed most of the forest on Earth and they help recycle dead leaves into the soil. Their mushroom fruiting bodies feed many Earth creatures. They eat rocks, and digest trees. They rise bread and make our beer. They eat between our toes, and even glow in the dark.

Fungi were some of the first complex life forms on land, mining rocks for mineral nourishment, slowly turning them into what would become soil. In the Late Ordovician era, they formed a symbiotic relationship with liverworts, the earliest plants.

“Ultimately, fungi helped plants move away from being these marginal tiny little things on the water’s edge into large forests and entire ecosystems,”

Liverworts

Liverworts are small green plants that don’t have roots, stems, leaves or flowers. They belong to a group of plants called Bryophytes, which also includes mosses and hornworts. Bryophytes diverged from other plant lineages early in the evolution of plants and are thought to be similar to some of the earliest diverging land plant lineages. Liverworts are found all over the world and are often seen growing as a weed in the cracks of paving or soil of potted plants. Marchantia polymorpha, which is also known as the common liverwort or umbrella liverwort, was used in this research.

Phytophthora

Phytophthora is a water mould. Although it looks like it, it is not a fungus at all. Instead it belongs to the oomycetes and is a type of filamentous microbe. Phytophthora pathogens are best known for devastating crops, such as causing the Irish potato famine through potato late blight disease as well as many tropical diseases. This research used the tropical species, Phytophthora palmivora, which causes diseases in cocoa, oil palms, coconut palms and rubber trees.

Fungi were some of the first complex life forms on land, mining rocks for mineral nourishment, slowly turning them into what would become soil. In the Late Ordovician era, they formed a symbiotic relationship with liverworts, the earliest plants.

Fungi and plants both evolved from aquatic protists. Approximately 1.1 billion years ago, animals and fungi branched off from plants. Plants would evolve from photosynthetic cyanobacteria.

[arthropoda-artistry]

Mycorrhiza move slowly, connecting root node to root node

Providing mineral sustenance, with photosynthesis the trade off their plant supplants.

Together, a web of mycelium crosses concrete, soil, barriers of all sorts

Creeping like a spider web only finer, and from a kingdom spiders remain alien from

Though to us, fungi are all alien, otherworldly, outside of conscious awareness

Their mass growing but ultimately consuming constantly, monstrous in how utterly different

Mycelial lifestyle is from human. Fungi are horror movie monsters, brain worms hijacking humanity.

Fungal infections are mostly what comes to mind when one searches fungal colony.

Write a piece about a fungal colony

[theterribletenno]

Mycorrhiza, the Fungus Farmer Warframe

Myco is likely to be the community favorite of this season, thanks to his approximal similarity to both Nidus and Saryn. Like with Colloid this warframe gives me a free opportunity to add better coverage to elements which few if any warframes use. In Myco's case that means gas and viral.

Health: 125 (375 at rank 30) Shields: 100 (300 at rank 30) Armor: 300 Energy: N/A (N/A at rank 30) Sprint Speed: 0.9

Passive: Mycorrhiza has two passives, Crops and Glucose Injection. Crops: Mycorrhiza does not use energy. Instead his abilities are powered by the fruiting bodies of the parasitic technocyte fungus that he has become symbiotic with. These usable resources are called Crops. Mycorrhiza generates 1 unit of Crops each second and has a maximum Crops capacity of 100. Picking up an energy orb generates 10 units of Crops. Glucose Injection: While Mycorrhiza's technocyte fungus is parasitic to all enemies, he and he alone has a symbiotic relationship with it. For every 10 Crops Mycorrhiza is carrying his sprint speed increases by 0.04 and his armor increases by 12. This bonus only applies to Crops on his own body, not to Crops which are being hosted by enemy units.

Ability 1A: Implanted Crops, 5 Crops. By tapping the ability key Mycorrhiza infects an enemy target within 50 meters with one of his parasitic technocyte crops which begins to feed on the enemy and grow. Implanted Crops last for an unlimited duration. -Each individual Implanted Crop inflicts 10 gas damage per second with a 25% status chance lasting until the visible fungal fruiting bodies themselves or the infected enemy is destroyed. -Enemies infected by Implaned Crops will generate an additional Implaned Crop once every 2 seconds. There is not a limit to the number of enemies which can be infected nor is there a limit to the number of crops an individual enemy can carry. -Shooting the visible fruiting body of the Implanted Crops directly will destroy one stack of Implanted Crops and deal 250 gas damage with 100% status chance to all enemies in a 3 meter radius and transmits 1 Implanted Crop to all nearby enemies within 12 meters. -Spread bypasses obstacles in the environment and damage does not diminish with distance. -Every stack of Implanted Crops on enemies within a 20 meter radius of Mycorrhiza counts as a unit of Crops available for his ability casting, although he will consume Crops on his own body before consuming Crops from infected enemies. Stacks of Implanted Crops that are consumed for Mycorrhiza's casting will not cause detonation and will be removed from their host without causing additional harm. -A custom UI element will show the player how many Implanted Crops are currently active and how many are within usable range.

Ability 1B: Nightmare Bloom, 20 Crops. By holding the ability key Mycorrhiza can forcibly detonate all Implanted Crops on the enemy targeted by his crosshairs within 50 meters at once with the radius of their damaging burst increased by +300%, but not spreaing to adjacent enemies.

Ability 2: Fungal Harvest, 10 Crops per half-second. Mycorrhiza feeds on the fungal crops he has grown to replenish himself, absorbing them into his flesh. Hold the ability key to activate and release to deactivate, or tap the ability key to activate and tap again to deactivate. If Mycorrhiza does not have access to at least 10 stacks of Crops this ability will terminate automatically. While active Mycorrhiza becomes immune to all damage and status effects, but becomes unable to move, attack, or use other abilities as he heals for 10% of his max health & shields per half second. Healing from this ability can grant overshields. Additionally, for every 10 Crops consumed by Fungal Harvest Mycorrhiza gains 5% bonus ability strength and range (scaling to a maximum of 100%) which begins upon Fungal Harvest's termination and lasts for 10 seconds.

Ability 3: Macrosoma Germination, 50 Crops. Mycorrhiza implants a fungal superorganism into the enemy targeted by his crosshairs within 30 meters which persists for up to 20 seconds or until the host dies. A massive growth of technocyte fungus covers the victim's body and blooms with airborne spores. The targeted enemy becomes disabled, unable to move, attack, or use abilities and deals 200 viral damage per half-second with 20% status chance to all enemies within a 12 meter radius. Damage from Macrosoma Germination has a 10% chance to infect un-infected enemies with an Implanted Crop and a 5% chance to cause infected enemies to gain an additional stack of Implanted Crops.

Ability 4: Blighted Field, 100 Crops. Mycorrhiza sends a signal through the mycelial network causing all Implanted Crops within a 20 meter radius to simultaneously detonate, each one dealing 250 gas damage with 100% status chance to all enemies in a 3 meter radius of its host and having a 10% chance to transmit 1 Implanted Crop to a random nearby enemy within 12 meters. Blighted Field is guaranteed to infect un-infected enemies within 3 meters of infected enemies with a single stack of Implanted Crops.

Subsumed ability: Macrosoma Germination. (Costs 75 energy, does not spread Implanted Crops.)

Signature Weapons Conocybe: This was once an ordinary shotgun, a model commercially available to civilians for personal defense. The infestation has warped its shape, but not its function. Primary shotgun weapon with semi-auto trigger. Every shot has two effects, a short-reaching wide angle blast of pure corrosive damage, and a spray of hitscan pellets with moderate spread which deals mostly slash, moderate impact and puncture damage. High status at the cost of low crit. Small magazine with a quick reload. When wielded by Mycorrhiza this weapon's corrosive damage cone reaches further. Twin Filaris: A pair of lightweight scythes originally used for reaping grains. Slender and elegant curved blades cut as cleanly as a military sword. Dual sword type melee weapon with average per-hit damage and high attack speed at the cost of low range. Deals mostly slash, moderate puncture, and very low impact damage. Very high status chance at the cost of very low crit. In Mycorrhiza's hands when this weapon directly hits the visible fruiting body of an Implanted Crop the range of transmission is increased by 1.5 meters.

Closing Notes: Conocybe Filaris is a type of poisonous mushroom.