Welcome to the first Psiloconvalley Pulse report, where we track the key signals at the intersection of consciousness, technology, and innovation. This month, we’re diving deep into the world of fungi and mycelium, a field that’s exploding with discoveries that sound like science fiction.

Signal 1: Fungi Communicate in a Language of Their Own

Source: The Guardian

What it is: A 2022 study found that fungi transmit electrical signals through their mycelial networks in complex patterns that resemble human language. The research identified a potential vocabulary of up to 50 “words,” suggesting a form of decentralized, biological information processing.

Why it matters: This research fundamentally challenges our view of fungi as passive organisms. It opens the door to “myco-computing,” where we could harness these living networks as biological computers, and forces us to expand our definitions of “language” and “intelligence” itself.

Signal 2: Mycelium is Being Transformed into Living Electronics

Source: EurekAlert (AAAS)

What it is: Researchers are now actively merging mycelium with electronic components to create “fungal electronics.” By using mycelium as a self-growing and self-repairing circuit board, they’ve shown it can act as a biosensor and even a memristor—an electronic component that mimics a biological synapse.

Why it matters: This points to a future of “grown” hardware. Instead of manufacturing computers, we might grow them, leading to biodegradable, sustainable, and self-healing electronics. It’s a foundational step toward creating true hybrids of living organisms and computational machinery.

Signal 3: DARPA and NASA are Designing a Future Built on Fungi

Source: NASA’s Myco-architecture Program and DARPA’s ELM Program

What it is: The most advanced research agencies in the world are investing in mycelium. DARPA is developing it as a self-healing living material for military and disaster relief applications. NASA is funding it as the primary material for building habitats on Mars, offering a solution to the astronomical cost of shipping building materials into space.

Why it matters: This is the ultimate validation of mycelium’s potential. It’s being engineered to solve some of humanity’s biggest challenges, from sustainable construction on Earth to enabling our future as a multi-planetary species.

The Bigger Picture

From discovering its hidden language to engineering it for space colonization, fungi are rapidly shifting from the domain of biology to the forefront of information technology and advanced materials. These signals show that the quiet, underground network beneath our feet may hold the keys to the next technological revolution.