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Archaeology

Fungi

Categories

engineering, biology, chemistry, ecology, materials science, earth science, neuroscience, psychology

From molds to mushrooms, fungi make up a diverse and mysterious kingdom of organisms that serve as the decomposers and nutrient cyclers of our ecosystems.

The Projects

Browse the participating projects

Preserved pumpkin as a scientific time capsule? Fungal and chemical analysis of pumpkin preserve from 1920

In early September of 1920, at a local fair in Flandreau SD, a jar of preserved pumpkin was awarded the...

Hope Juntunen
Hope Juntunen
Dakota State University

101%
funded

$6,000
goal

11
lab notes

Can brown rot and white rot fungi work together to clean up spilled diesel?

Mycoremediation is a form of bioremediation that uses fungi to clean up contaminated sites. Brown rot and...

Andi Bruce
Andi Bruce
University of Wisconsin-La Crosse

102%
funded

$4,500
goal

6
lab notes

From Sun to Soil: Understanding how carbon flows to and through fungi belowground

Plants convert sunlight into energy and initiate symbiotic partnerships with fungi through their roots...

Daniel Revillini
Daniel Revillini
Northern Arizona University

102%
funded

$3,430
goal

2
lab notes

More About This Challenge

The sciency details

Challenge Amount:
$500
Submission Deadline:
Sep 30, 2016
Campaign Launch:
Oct 12, 2016

Frequently Asked Questions

How do challenge grants work?

Challenge grants are prizes to supplement existing crowdfunding campaigns. We will accept proposals for campaigns related to fungi, and all the campaigns will launch together on October 13th, 2016. The project that ends with the highest number of backers will receive an additional $500. There are two runners-up prizes of $200 each.

When will the grant be awarded?

On November 2nd at 5PM PT, the prizes will be awarded according to the posted schedule.

Can I still submit a project?

We are no longer accepting projects for this grant, however we will be launching many more challenge grant opportunities. Sign up for our mailing list for up-to-date community news.

Please Note:

If we see suspicious acitivity of researchers or backers potentially cheating during the challenge, the project will be completely disqualified from winning the grant.

Challenge Aims

Whether as food, symbionts for plants and animals, destructive diseases, or beneficial pesticides or medicines, fungi have a wide presence across the earth from deep in the soil or in hidden, often overlooked spaces.

We invite anyone working with any fungus or aspect of mycology to submit an Experiment project to join the Fungi Challenge. If you'd like to chat more about your idea, please get in touch! You can start a page by clicking the button below.

Examples of past fungi-related projects:

Sea turtle egg fusariosis: unraveling the biology of an emerging fungal pathogen

Can we use fungi to break down our plastic and rubber waste?

Can fungi help restore the American chestnut?

Do novel fungi detoxify sewage sludge?


Project Eligilibity

Any project working on fungi is invited to participate. Please get in touch if you aren't sure about your idea, by emailing us at support@experiment.com. Interdisciplinary projects are more than welcome! Researchers must be based out of institutions or organizations in the US, UK, Australia, or Canada, though field work can occur anywhere.

Share The Science

Spread the word about the science waiting to happen.

Challenge Grants

Experiment is an online community for making science go faster. Create a research project, get funding, and share your discovery with the world.

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