This gel is very clear when set. Might it be possible to fill a round bottom flask with Gelrite, so you essentially have a sphere of gelin contained in glass and then with a long, thin needle inoculate into the middle of the Gel, so that the fungal inoculum is growing from the center of the gel "globe"? One could then image the mycelium in the gel as it grows out from the center. Just a thought.
Not sure about AI, but perhaps if it was fed enough info. You can certainly run models based on fungal branching patterns, etc. But I would be shocked if they really represented the true form.
Why does the Universe, emerging from a dimensionless speck, lack symmetry and resembles a cobweb of empty space, tangled dust, gas, matter and energy? Is there an inherent shape to a universe? If the birth is not perfectly symmetric in energy distribution, then immediately the expansion acts upon itself to create more asymmetries- turbulence if you will. Now looking at fungi growth from that perspective- Is there ever a perfect seed spore in terms of the initial geometry (for one)? What role does gravity play? Have growth experiments been conducted at the I.S.S.? This is all very fascinating to an outsider! Nature has had a billion years of ceaseless experiments in optimizing fungal growth and survival. Why do we not see more meso-scale fungi? Predation can't be the answer. Very interesting stuff!
Great point about gravity, I didn't think about this - and you're absolutely right that no matter what we do, that will be a force acting on the fungus. I think yes, there were growth experiments under microgravity at the ISS.
You needn't respond to this, but for we tetrapods, there are limits to our growth "baked in" to our DNA, no matter our state of health, availability of resources, etc. Does a fungus have such DNA constraints? Can it continue increasing it's size indefinitely if left to it's own devices? Would it fill up all available space? If two expanding fungi of the same species encounter each other, what happens? Do they establish boundaries or do they inter-grow? I understand that some organisms self-destruct on encountering another growing colony. You have a very interesting field of study!
Fungi can recycle themselves as they grow. So I imagine a mycelial front will always radiate outward, but the inner parts are re-used. This is most likely what happens in fairy rings.
a transparent substrate misses the key point that in the dark corners growth proceeds according to some phototropic qualities. What would make life enter a dark void? Gravity might reveal some micro physics at play here in the dark matter. the infinite within
This is an absolutely fascinating question! What about using AI to predict mycelial growth to potentially reveal the inherent shape of a fungus?
Also, what about using Gelrite as a clear substrate: https://www.duchefa-biochemie.com/product/details/number/g1101
This gel is very clear when set. Might it be possible to fill a round bottom flask with Gelrite, so you essentially have a sphere of gelin contained in glass and then with a long, thin needle inoculate into the middle of the Gel, so that the fungal inoculum is growing from the center of the gel "globe"? One could then image the mycelium in the gel as it grows out from the center. Just a thought.
Thanks, and I passed this info about gelrite on.
Not sure about AI, but perhaps if it was fed enough info. You can certainly run models based on fungal branching patterns, etc. But I would be shocked if they really represented the true form.
Why does the Universe, emerging from a dimensionless speck, lack symmetry and resembles a cobweb of empty space, tangled dust, gas, matter and energy? Is there an inherent shape to a universe? If the birth is not perfectly symmetric in energy distribution, then immediately the expansion acts upon itself to create more asymmetries- turbulence if you will. Now looking at fungi growth from that perspective- Is there ever a perfect seed spore in terms of the initial geometry (for one)? What role does gravity play? Have growth experiments been conducted at the I.S.S.? This is all very fascinating to an outsider! Nature has had a billion years of ceaseless experiments in optimizing fungal growth and survival. Why do we not see more meso-scale fungi? Predation can't be the answer. Very interesting stuff!
Great point about gravity, I didn't think about this - and you're absolutely right that no matter what we do, that will be a force acting on the fungus. I think yes, there were growth experiments under microgravity at the ISS.
You needn't respond to this, but for we tetrapods, there are limits to our growth "baked in" to our DNA, no matter our state of health, availability of resources, etc. Does a fungus have such DNA constraints? Can it continue increasing it's size indefinitely if left to it's own devices? Would it fill up all available space? If two expanding fungi of the same species encounter each other, what happens? Do they establish boundaries or do they inter-grow? I understand that some organisms self-destruct on encountering another growing colony. You have a very interesting field of study!
Thanks.
Fungi can recycle themselves as they grow. So I imagine a mycelial front will always radiate outward, but the inner parts are re-used. This is most likely what happens in fairy rings.
That's fascinating; they become advancing wavefronts.
Exactly.
What then happens when two such fronts encounter each other, or an impenetrable barrier like a cement wall, is there reflection and back propagation?
a transparent substrate misses the key point that in the dark corners growth proceeds according to some phototropic qualities. What would make life enter a dark void? Gravity might reveal some micro physics at play here in the dark matter. the infinite within
Thanks. Yep, incubation would certainly be in the dark, as with all our experiments on fungi.