Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Kew's giant fungi collection

Lewis Smith
Monday 23 November 2009 01:00 GMT
Comments

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

The biggest collection of fungi in the world will be created this week as Kew Gardens takes delivery of more than 400,000 specimens.

The fungi will be added to Kew's stock of more than 800,000 specimens to form a giant scientific collection.

Researchers are confident the enormous collection of 1.25 million specimens, which overtakes the million fungi specimens held by the US National Fungus Collection, will help them develop new life-saving drugs and disease resistant crops. Statins and penicillin are among the drugs that have already been developed thanks to fungi.

Among the specimens being delivered is mould – Penicillium notatum – which helped Sir Alexander Fleming discover penicillin and led to the development of other life-saving antibiotics.

Others are samples of microscopic fungi that in the early 20th-century were discovered to be behind the potato blight that led to the Irish famine, and another species that led to Dutch elm Disease.

Researchers are excited about the extent of the collection which will not only be the biggest but the most comprehensive in the world.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in