The first mushrooms appeared earlier than previously thought.

The researchers added that the origin of fungi and their further development have so far been little studied. Wherein

mycology still knows only 2% of the organisms that have ever existed on Earth. Previously, scientists were only sure that the first ancient mushrooms were about 460 million years old.

Now an international team of scientists has found a newa fossil mushroom that turned out to be much older than those organisms that were known to researchers. After analyzing the molecular composition, scientists were able to confirm their guess about his age.

The inner surface of the ISS was infected with fungi and bacteria

Scientists have found the remains of mycelium in ancient rocks,whose age ranged from 700 to 800 million years; Samples found during excavation of the Congo. After that, they were able to identify the age of the organisms, which coincided with the rocks over the period.

For dating, they applied new methods of analysis:synchrotron radiation spectroscopy, confocal, fluorescence and electron microscopy. This made it possible to examine organic residues without chemical treatment. It also turned out that the organisms were eukaryotes, that is, their cells had a nucleus.