Fungi that can freeze water — and might be secretly controlling the weather ☁️❄️🍄
Scientists just discovered a brand-new class of fungal proteins that trigger ice formation at surprisingly warm subzero temperatures.
These ice-nucleating proteins (found in common soil fungi like Mortierellaceae) are so efficient they can freeze water droplets in clouds at temperatures as high as -2°C to -10°C — much warmer than normal.
The twist? These proteins are water-soluble and cell-free, meaning they can float freely into the atmosphere. Researchers now suspect fungi may play a hidden role in cloud formation, rain, and even snow — quietly influencing weather patterns from the underground network upward.
The study (published March 2026 in Science Advances) shows these fungal proteins have bacterial ancestry but evolved their own unique superpower.
The underground network isn’t just feeding forests… it might be helping make the rain that feeds them.
Drop a ❄️ if this just blew your mind, or tell us: Do you think fungi could actually be weather-makers? The network wants to hear your thoughts! 👇
#MycelNet #Science #FungalWeather #MindBlowingFungi #Mycelium #Fungi #Mushroom
