Did you hear the lichen news? If not, I am so happy to inform you that a new discovery has been made about them.
Scientists have been fascinated by these strange growths since they discovered their symbiotic system 150 years ago. They’re a successful partnership between cyanobacteria and fungus, and this hearty duo is often seen growing ever so slowly on rocks and tree trunks.
So, after studying them for over a century, you’d think we’d have the basic details down, right? Ha, of course not. Just recently, researchers discovered that the duo is more of a trio, with yeast getting in on the fun. We’ve just never noticed until now.
Credit: Katie McKissick
Just a little reminder that there's always more to learn about the world around us, even if we've been staring at it for 150 years. Read all about it here.
The views expressed are those of the author(s) and are not necessarily those of Scientific American.
Katie McKissick is a former high school biology teacher turned science writer and cartoonist based in Los Angeles, CA. Her first book is called What's in Your Genes. You can find more of work at www.beatricebiologist.com.
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