Fungi
Alison Pouliot: The hidden kingdom of fungi
The concept of biodiversity is often thought to be flora and fauna - but there's another 'F' word... fungi, which comprises a third forgotten kingdom. Audio
Auckland start-up grows 'leather' out of fungi
An Auckland based start-up is growing leather-like material out of fungi, which it says is versatile, strong and sustainable.Sapro-tech was founded by biotechnolgist Dr Keith Hudson. Audio
Fungal foray-ing and the search for new antibiotics
Could the answer to one of our most pressing health needs be hiding in Aotearoa’s bush? On Our Changing World this week, Liz Garton heads out on a foray to discover some of our fungal gems, and she… Audio
Our Changing World – Fungal foray
This week we take a foray with Liz Garton into Aotearoa’s largely undiscovered fungal kingdom – where remedies for the growing problem of antibiotic resistance might be found. Audio
City couple's mushroom venture sprouts from pandemic
On the rural outskirts of Taupō a young couple have started a mushroom venture far removed from their previous life in Auckland. Maggie Tweedie took a trip to a small block of land amid the green… Audio
Are mushroom supplements really magic or a waste of cash?
Love them or hate them, could mushrooms be the key to good health. Stacey Morrison focuses on functional fungi in the latest episode of Healthy or Hoax. Audio
Fascinating fungi and pesky pathogens
In a room in the Manaaki Whenua building in Auckland are rows and rows of shelves, with cardboard boxes containing an array of weird and wonderful dried fungi. Claire Concannon visits to learn how and… Audio
Our Changing World – The New Zealand Fungarium
The New Zealand Fungarium is a collection of over 100,000 dried specimens of fungi kept in a carefully climate-controlled room.
Claire Concannon visits Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research in Auckland… Audio
NZ's unique fungi provide promise in search for new antibiotics
Analysis - While we're all rightly focused on the COVID-19 pandemic at the moment, the SARS-CoV-2 virus isn't the only microbial threat we face, Dr Siouxsie Wiles writes.
Caring for the forest
Katy Gosset finds out how researchers investigate the plant penetration powers of myrtle rust. Claire Concannon speaks with the caretaker of a tropical forest and hundreds of butterflies. Audio
Prof Joseph Dahmen: Mycelium, a living building material
Mycelium, the root system of fungi, has increasingly started to be used as an alternative to plastic, but its uses are also extending into architecture and design as a living, construction material. … Audio, Gallery
Why the next pandemic could be a potentially deadly fungus
While the world continues to struggle to contain Covid-19, scientists are warning of another coronavirus pandemic on the horizon -- one which is likely to come from a yeast-like fungus. Dr Tom Chiller… Audio
Genetic recipe book for natural products from fungi
Emily Parker and her team at Victoria University of Wellington are identifying the genes that allow fungi to create natural medicinal compounds. Audio
Our Changing World for 17 September 2020
Unlocking the genetic secrets of natural compounds and the evolution of tieke calls. Audio
Merlin Sheldrake: the mind-bending majesty of the fungal kingdom
Biologist and mycologist Merlin Sheldrake explores the strange and wonderful world of fungi in his book Entangled Life: How Fungi Make Our Worlds, Change Our Minds, and Shape Our Futures. It can be… Video, Audio
Alison Stringer - Gathering mushrooms in May
Alison Stringer works a government job by day, and is a scientist and lifelong forager. A trained mycologist (fungi expert), she undertook graduate studies in Dr Ian Hall's edible ecomycorrhizal fungi… Audio, Gallery
The Pukekohe company creating world-class green pesticides
New Zealand could lead the world in developing biological pesticides, according to plant pathologist Stephen Ford. China has named Ecolibrium Biologicals – which he founded – one of the top ten… Audio
Unearthing hidden fungi and traditional Māori uses
Fungi are an essential, yet often overlooked, part of life. Peter Buchanan has dedicated his career to the subject. He's here to give us a rundown of what's new and hot in the fungal community. Audio
What is the national fungus?
The kiwi's the national bird and the pavlova the national pudding, but what is the national fungus?
Myrtle rust - its impact in NZ and Australia
Myrtle rust is having a profound impact on native plants and ecosystems in Australia - what will its effect be on New Zealand forests? Audio