What's happening?

A group of scientists have used parts of a mushroom to make medicine. It could help people who suffer from mental health problems.

This is not the first time we have turned to mushrooms to help us. And experts are not surprised. Fungi may look boring, but they have many qualities that make them powerful. Here are just four.

Flavour. We have been eating mushrooms for thousands of years. The different varieties mean lots of different flavours. One tastes exactly like fried chicken!

Find out more

Danger. Mushrooms are not always safe to eat. Some have the power to cause a lot of harm. The Death Cap mushroom tastes delicious. But watch out - it is very dangerous.

DNA. Mushrooms are more similar to humans than to plants. Their DNADeoxyribonucleic acid is the material in an organism that carries genetic information. matches ours more closely. One way we are similar is that both mushrooms and humans make Vitamin D when exposed to sunlight.

Language. Fungi make underground webs that link tree roots together. This helps plants communicate through the soil. Experts call it the Wood Wide Web. It is millions of years old. And without mushrooms, it would never exist.