Laura Smith
Do mushrooms have sounds? This question has sparked curiosity and debate, with some claiming that mushrooms can make music and others arguing that it is a synthetic creation. The interest in this topic has led to various experiments, including connecting mushrooms to synthesizers to convert their electrical impulses into sounds. While the scientific accuracy of these experiments has been questioned, it has sparked a new genre of artistic collaboration with nature. Additionally, recent studies indicate that fungi respond to sound waves and can sense and react to different types of stimuli, including sound. This newfound knowledge about mushrooms and their relationship with sound has captivated people's imaginations, sparking discussions about fungal consciousness and their potential to inspire new ways of thinking.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Do mushrooms make sounds? | Yes, they produce bioelectricity, which can be translated into melodies using a modular synthesizer. |
| How does it work? | The synthesizer takes the mushroom's electric frequencies and turns them into sound by using oscillators, which vibrate. |
| What does it sound like? | The sounds have been described as otherworldly, upbeat and conversational, hypnotic, ambient, and like the Super Mario theme song. |
| What does this mean for mushrooms? | Some believe that mushrooms may communicate with each other using electrical impulses, and that these impulses could be a form of language. |
| Who is using mushroom sounds? | Musicians and artists, such as Noa Kalos, The Octopus Project, and Stella McCartney, have incorporated mushroom sounds into their work. |
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What You'll Learn
Fungi communicate using electrical signals
Mushrooms are not silent, standalone organisms as they are often perceived to be. In fact, they communicate with each other using electrical signals, a phenomenon that has been studied by researchers.
Prof Andrew Adamatzky of the University of the West of England's unconventional computing laboratory in Bristol studied the electrical signals of four species of fungi: enoki, split gill, ghost, and caterpillar fungi. He inserted tiny microelectrodes into substrates colonized by their patchwork of hyphae threads, their mycelia. Mycelia are the root-like extensions of mushrooms, forming a network that connects the above-ground, sporing fruit to the large organism.
Adamatzky's research, published in Royal Society Open Science, found that the electrical spikes generated by the fungi often clustered into trains of activity, resembling vocabularies of up to 50 words. The distribution of these "fungal word lengths" closely matched that of human speech. The study also found that the electrical signals had a specific direction and that the movement of signals was stronger between mushrooms that were closer together.
The findings suggest that mushrooms use electrical impulses to share and process information internally and possibly with hyphae-connected partners such as trees. Previous research has shown that the firing rate of electrical impulses increases when the hyphae of wood-digesting fungi come into contact with wooden blocks, indicating that fungi may use this electrical "language" to communicate about food or injury.
While the research reveals fascinating insights into the world of fungi, it is important to note that the interpretation of these electrical signals as a form of language is still a subject of debate among scientists. More research is needed to fully understand the complexity and purpose of these electrical impulses in fungal communication.
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Low-frequency sounds increase productivity in certain fungi
Fungi are the evolutionary cardinals of the Earth, forming the living substratum beneath every forest, field, and backyard ecosystem. While they may not seem very talkative, a new study has shown that certain fungi respond to and generate sound.
Some musicians have hooked up different mushrooms to modular synthesizers to hear the bioelectricity being produced by the fungi. The synthesizers translate the fungi's electrical pulses into melodies, creating trance-like music. The frequency of the pulses matters, as different frequencies make up different musical notes. For example, 440 Hz is an A note, and 260 Hz is a C note.
The oyster mushroom has an upbeat and conversational sound, with quick notes that resemble raindrops or the Super Mario theme song. The Lion's Mane mushroom, on the other hand, has a deeper and more sinister melody with spots of reverberation.
The ability to generate sound may confer an evolutionary advantage upon mushrooms. Master-mycologist Paul Stamets offers a hypothesis that the folkloric traditions of many first nations across Europe, North America, Japan, and Russia hold that lightning strikes mushrooms, which may explain the relationship between sound vibration and mycelial growth.
Additionally, the electrical impulses of fungi could serve as a means of communication. A study by computer scientist Andrew Adamatzky found that split-gill mushrooms produced "remarkably diverse" signal patterns that may function like words in human speech. Fungi may use these electrical impulses to share information about food or injury.
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Music made by mushrooms is created using a synthesiser
It may be hard to believe, but mushrooms can indeed create music. They produce bioelectricity, which can be translated into melodies using a synthesiser. Modular synthesizers are machines that convert electric frequencies into sound by using oscillators that vibrate at different frequencies to create different musical notes. For example, 440 Hz is an A note, and 260 Hz is a C note.
The process involves hooking up different mushrooms to a synthesiser to hear the bioelectricity being produced. The electrical pulses can be fluctuated to produce different frequencies and, therefore, different sounds. The resulting music is fascinating and almost magical, with some describing it as trance-like, with space echoes and hypnotic sounds.
The Oyster mushroom, for instance, produces an upbeat and conversational melody with quick sounds resembling raindrops. In contrast, the Lion's Mane mushroom has a deeper and more constant melody with spots of reverberation, giving it a sinister feeling.
The use of mushrooms in music creation is not limited to the synthesiser. The band The Octopus Project, for instance, has incorporated mushrooms into their live shows, creating a unique sound and visual environment for each type of mushroom. They have also recorded the biodata from mushrooms, noting that it is much denser and more constant than that of plants.
The ability of mushrooms to create music has also led to collaborations between humans, mushrooms, and machines. For example, Noa Kalos, a #mushtok influencer with over 600,000 followers on TikTok, has created music by clamping a wire onto a cluster of oyster mushrooms, resulting in a deep cacophony of bleeps and bloops. Kalos has even collaborated with celebrities such as SZA and has had their music featured in a Netflix children's movie.
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Thunder may serve as a warning for mushrooms of incoming rain
Fungi, including mushrooms, can sense and respond to sound waves, a discovery that has led to further exploration in the field of mycology, or the study of fungi. This newfound knowledge has sparked curiosity about the potential benefits of sound-treated fungi in psychedelic research for understanding and enhancing consciousness.
The ability of fungi to sense and respond to sound waves is comparable to how humans respond to music. Fungi can convert sound into electrical signals, which can be utilized to regulate their growth and development. This process is similar to the way our ears interpret sound. In fact, some have described fungi as "expert musicians" that can pick up on nature's tones and incorporate them into the ecosystem's symphony.
The idea that mushrooms can sense and respond to sound has captured the attention of many, including TikTok influencer Noa Kalos, who has over 600,000 followers on the platform. Kalos' videos often feature unique sounds produced by mushrooms, such as a deep cacophony of bleeps and bloops from oyster mushrooms, contributing to the growing fascination with the auditory capabilities of these organisms.
Given the sensitivity of fungi to sound, it is plausible that thunder, with its low-frequency sound waves, may serve as a warning signal for mushrooms, alerting them to an incoming rain event. This hypothesis suggests that the sound of thunder acts as a trigger for mushrooms to prepare for the absorption of water and electricity, both of which are essential for their propagation. Thus, the rumbling of distant thunder may be interpreted as a mycelial clarion call, signaling a harmonious response from the fungi in anticipation of the impending rainfall.
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Fungi respond to sound waves in a similar way to humans
Fungi Respond to Sound Waves Like Humans
Fungi respond to sound waves in a manner akin to humans. They sense and react to sound waves in two ways: biochemically or transductively. The biochemical response involves releasing compounds like melatonin and indole during stressful or injurious situations. On the other hand, fungi can convert sound into electrical signals, much like our ears, to regulate growth and development. This electrical conversion is a fascinating discovery, as it indicates that fungi interpret sound in a similar way to humans.
Fungi have long, underground filamentous structures called hyphae, which transmit electrical impulses, much like nerve cells in humans. These impulses increase when the hyphae of wood-digesting fungi touch wooden blocks, suggesting that fungi use this electricity to communicate. Indeed, mathematical analyses of electrical signals in fungi have revealed patterns structurally similar to human speech, indicating a potential fungal language. Some scientists remain sceptical, however, awaiting further evidence before accepting these patterns as a distinct language.
The ability of fungi to respond to sound waves has significant implications for agriculture, medicine, and biotechnology. In agriculture, sound waves can stimulate the growth of mycorrhizal fungi in soil, enhancing plant growth and reducing the need for chemical fertilisers. Medicine can utilise sound waves to control pathogenic fungal growth and develop new therapies for fungal infections. Meanwhile, biotechnology can harness sound waves to produce valuable fungal metabolites like antibiotics and anti-cancer compounds.
Furthermore, fungi respond to different sound frequencies in intriguing ways. High-frequency sounds inhibit spore generation and mycelial growth, while low-frequency sounds stimulate mycelial growth. This correlation between sound vibration and mycelial growth suggests an evolutionary advantage for mushrooms, developed over millennia. For example, the sound of thunder, composed of low-frequency waves, precedes lightning, which stimulates the growth of shiitake mushrooms. Thus, mushrooms may have evolved to recognise this sound, preparing to absorb the subsequent water and electricity beneficial to their propagation.
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Frequently asked questions
Mushrooms do not make sounds on their own. However, they do respond to sound waves, despite having no auditory organs.
Studies have shown that high-frequency sounds inhibit spore generation and mycelial growth, while low-frequency sounds increase the productivity of certain fungi.
Scientists have connected mushrooms to a device that can measure galvanic conductance and detect changes in electrical impulses. These changes in electrical impulses are then converted into sounds that we can hear.
