'Astromycology' is not only a science fiction concept but also a research project by NASA and mycologists like Paul Stamets, exploring the possibility of using fungi to sustain space life systems. For example, fungi could break down the hard soil weathering layer on Mars, decompose harmful substances (such as carbon dioxide, nitrates, and formaldehyde), and convert waste and deceased organisms generated during space travel into vitamins and other minerals, thus creating a healthy soil substrate. Fungi are also a source of food and building materials, with mycelium capable of conducting electricity and generating energy through biomass.
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During the creation process, the mushrooms generated different forms through geometric iteration. This iterative process also incorporates the artist's imagination of silicon-carbon life forms: Mars' ultra-low temperature environment allows complex electromagnetic phenomena to accumulate spontaneously until intelligence emerges. Mycelium tendrils can communicate with each other using electrical signals, even developing a vocabulary. Meanwhile, the abundant space radiation becomes a new nutrient for the mushrooms, which can absorb different radiations by adjusting the distribution of surface pigments. On Earth, carbon-based plants produce carbon dioxide through respiration, while silicon-based mushrooms produce crystalline silicon dioxide. During reproduction, crystals containing spores roll off the gills, with the crystals protecting the spores from the harsh environment.