Not clones, more of a ship of Theseus scenario. A fungal network can be “one thing” because we see it as a single interconnected system. But parts grow and die over time. It doesn’t have individual cells that are infinitely old, but the one wholistic fungal organism, as we define it, can live forever through regrowth. There are types of jellyfish that can also “live forever” in this same way.
There’s never two fungi here though, the mycelium is always continuous. There’s never another individual structure either, like ribosomal cloning, it’s just more hyphae.
I’m guessing they’re talking about clones?
Yeah, lots of living beings do that.
Not clones, more of a ship of Theseus scenario. A fungal network can be “one thing” because we see it as a single interconnected system. But parts grow and die over time. It doesn’t have individual cells that are infinitely old, but the one wholistic fungal organism, as we define it, can live forever through regrowth. There are types of jellyfish that can also “live forever” in this same way.
Botanists call this “cloning”.
Like when you cut a bit off one plant and make a new plant you have 2 plants but they’re genetically identical.
There’s never two fungi here though, the mycelium is always continuous. There’s never another individual structure either, like ribosomal cloning, it’s just more hyphae.
Amazing.
Words are violence