• Scientists at Ohio State University use shiitake mushrooms to design organic computer chips that mimic brain function and consume less energy
• The new technology is eco-friendly, biodegradable, and could pave the way for sustainable computing in the future

Scientists at Ohio State University have discovered an astonishing way to use mushrooms to power eco-friendly organic computers capable of storing information and functioning similarly to the human brain

The research team grew shiitake mushrooms and trained them to operate like computer chips, capable of switching between electrical states thousands of times per second

These “fungal circuits” are biodegradable and inexpensive, making them a sustainable option for future technology

Experiments showed that mushrooms can perform functions similar to “memory” in traditional electronic chips while consuming far less energy

John LaRocco, the study’s lead researcher, explained: When we design chips that mimic real brain activity, they don’t require much energy in standby mode, which offers a significant advantage in both performance and cost

The scientists believe that mushroom-based electronics could reduce the electronic waste generated by today’s tech industry, especially since manufacturing traditional chips requires rare metals and massive amounts of energy

Professor Qudsia Tahmina noted that growing environmental awareness could drive the adoption of such bio-based solutions, adding that these systems could eventually be developed for use in fields like artificial intelligence and wearable devices

Although the technology is still in its early stages, the researchers aim to create smaller, more efficient fungal components that could one day serve as real alternatives to conventional electronic chips