Tuesday 27 May 2014

The Biggest Living Thing Fact 57

A giant fungus called a 'honey mushroom' has been found growing under ground just 1 meter below the Malheur National Forest in Oregon, USA. This humongous fungus is estimated to cover 8.9 square kilometers, about the size of 1665 football pitches, and is the largest living thing in the world found so far. 

You can smell bits of the fungus showing above the ground. Experts aren't quite sure how old it is, but they know it is very old and started growing at least 2400 years ago! Amazingly, this giant will have started off in the same way as a mushroom you might have in your dinner, from a single seed-like 'spore', so small it isn't visible to the naked eye. The scientists first noticed it when the trees in the forest began to die. The honey mushroom thrives by sucking water and nutrients from the tree's roots and trees are unable to survive. 


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