Space exploration has allowed humans to journey from earth to space – but humans may not be the only organisms hitching a ride by spacecraft. Microbiologists who study extreme environments are on the lookout for microorganisms present on spacecraft surfaces that could potentially contaminate the pristine environments of outer space. Now a new fungal strain has been discovered in a spacecraft assembly facility and named after a long-time Berkeley Lab microbiologist, Tamas Torok.
What’s in a Name for a New Fungal Strain?
Science Snapshots Media Relations •
Berkeley Lab Biologist N. Louise Glass Elected into the National Academy of Sciences
News Release Aliyah Kovner •
N. Louise Glass, a renowned fungal researcher in Berkeley Lab’s Environmental Genomics and Systems Biology Division and at UC Berkeley, has been elected into the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) alongside 119 other distinguished new members and 30 international members.
Investigation into Fungi Food Choices Yields a Buffet of Information
Science Snapshots Aliyah Kovner •
A study of how fungi sense and respond to available food helps explain nutrient recycling and opens the door to better methods for producing bio-based products.