Electrical frequency discrimination by fungi Pleurotus ostreatus

TL;DR

This study shows that Pleurotus ostreatus fungi can discriminate electrical frequencies, suggesting potential for living electronic devices and advancing fungal electronics as a new field.

Contribution

It introduces the concept of frequency discrimination in fungal networks, demonstrating their ability to process electrical signals in a fuzzy or threshold manner.

Findings

Fungal networks can discriminate low-frequency signals.

Mycelium networks mix frequencies in specific ways.

Results support development of living electronic devices.

Abstract

We stimulate mycelian networks of oyster fungi Pleurotus ostreatus with low frequency sinusoidal electrical signals. We demonstrate that the fungal networks can discriminate between frequencies in a fuzzy or threshold based manner. Details about the mixing of frequencies by the mycelium networks are provided. The results advance the novel field of fungal electronics and pave ground for the design of living, fully recyclable, electron devices.