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The English word fungus is directly adopted from the Latin fungus (mushroom), used in the writings of Horace and Pliny. [10] This in turn is derived from the Greek word sphongos (σφόγγος 'sponge'), which refers to the macroscopic structures and morphology of mushrooms and molds; [11] the root is also used in other languages, such as the German Schwamm ('sponge') and Schimmel ('mold').
Fungi are fundamental for life on earth in their roles as symbionts, e.g. in the form of mycorrhizae, insect symbionts, and lichens. Many fungi are able to break down complex organic biomolecules such as lignin, the more durable component of wood, and pollutants such as xenobiotics, petroleum, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.
As the common name suggests, the fungus is highly toxic, and is responsible for the majority of fatal mushroom poisonings worldwide. [ 11 ] [ 75 ] Its biochemistry has been researched intensively for decades, [ 2 ] and 30 grams (1.1 ounces), or half a cap, of this mushroom is estimated to be enough to kill a human. [ 76 ]
The 100 species with longest life-spans recorded and verified [1] This is a list of the longest-living biological organisms: the individual(s) (or in some instances, clones) of a species with the longest natural maximum life spans. For a given species, such a designation may include:
Due to the recent increase in the use of immunosuppressants to treat human illnesses, it is estimated that A. fumigatus may be responsible for over 600,000 deaths annually with a mortality rate between 25 and 90%. [4] Several virulence factors have been postulated to explain this opportunistic behaviour. [5]
The Washington Post hectors Congress to make U.S. life expectancy a "political priority." Skip to main content. Sign in. Mail. 24/7 Help. For premium support please call: 800-290-4726 ...
Some time after the Permian-Triassic extinction event (251.4 Ma), a fungal spike (originally thought to be an extraordinary abundance of fungal spores in sediments) formed, suggesting that fungi were the dominant life form at this time, representing nearly 100% of the available fossil record for this period. [33]
However, being in the lowest 25% of activity was associated with a decrease in life expectancy of around six years. Still, if these less-active individuals logged an additional 111 minutes of ...