These Mushroom Bricks Are Up to Twice as Strong as Concrete

Fungi are some of the most ancient organisms around. But could they also be the future of construction and building materials? Researchers and companies are looking to turn mushrooms into the building blocks of sustainable homes and workspaces.
WSJ’s Daniela Hernandez breaks down how fungi are being turned into bricks that rival traditional building materials, like concrete.
0:00 Why do developers think fungi are the future of building materials?
0:24 The science behind mushroom bricks
1:58 How researchers make bricks out of fungi
2:33 Potential benefits and advantages of fungi bricks versus traditional building materials
4:16 Production challenges
I’m Daniela Hernandez, a health and science reporter for WSJ, and on this channel I’ll be covering a variety of subjects from neuroscience to the science of food and public health. If you’re interested in science and health and how cutting edge research impacts our lives, don’t forget to subscribe.
#Fungi #Construction #DanielaHernandez

[@DanielaHernandezWSJ]

Would you live in a house built with mushroom-based materials?

[@keeler1160]

Will i be tripping out if I eat it?

[@gokudo-cf5pt]

Do u know how long the brick can last

[@ox6903]

I would!

[@andreasmershin5026]

Absolutely! I'd love for these to be available in the US

[@kingmasterlord]

I'd build a car body.

[@anweshgurung2030]

I get hopeful whenever I see such innovative ways, but also sad that they almost never go mainstream.

[@jenniferc.d.5775]

Instead vc money is pouring towards companies that can bring u groceries in 10 mins or less!!

[@kaleomariz1000]

It’s usually because such technologies are too expensive to be reproduced in a large scale for the general public.
For example: it’s perfectly possible for soldiers to be wearing bulletproof uniforms in today’s technology. But it’s too expensive to do that for every single soldier.

[@KingOfNaraka]

Sir, your house does not have termite problem. It has yeast infection.

[@alejandroabad-pablo7813]

Underrated

[@listen1st267]

What I'd be most concerned with is if mold or other fungal material would grow on it in even slightly humid environments. Also does it decay over the span of decades when exposed to harsh sunlight, heat, cold, and rain. Plus, would ants, hornets, or beetles make themselves at home in the blocks? Just some things to consider

[@arkadiuszjendrulek5540]

That was my concern as well, on the other hand houses are built using OSB boards, and wood which is both flammable (new types of OSB boards are fire proof though) and may decay due to humidity and pests. I think mycelium could be great material of the future, but years of experimenting and research are needed before we can go full Smurf Village.
At the moment mycelial panels can last up to 20 years if kept in good conditions. In contact with earth, water and contaminations - probably 6 weeks.

[@beauxlohjab]

Is it inert? Cause thats one of the selling point of concrete. Also, you usually reinforce concrete with steel, to improve its strength. Never is an infratructure built solely on concrete.
And come on, you guys smashed a hollow block vs a solid mushroom block.

[@jurgenparkour9337]

Well, they have to make those sweet sweet views, mate🤷‍♂️

[@sebastianflynn1746]

Those two blocks weigh the same and have about the same use case, it's about visually demonstrating a point. there will have been real compression and tensile testing done but seeing two block crumble under a hydraulic press isn't as visually impressive as a sledgehammer.

[@ef8725]

They should make a hollow mushroom block

[@aarontuplin]

@@sebastianflynn1746 the mushroom block was solid, twice as tall, twice as wide, and half as long. It has everything going for it in that "test"

[@bobbob-vw4cc]

how does it fair in wet/humid states?

[@viva9284]

It gets mushy then you eat it for dinner.. call it homecooked

[@ef8725]

Mushrooms will grow out of it

[@Schwarzy22]

Did u miss the part where they dehydrate it

[@forgivensign]

@@Schwarzy22 biomass can easily be rehydrated

[@forgivensign]

@@ef8725 hahaha unless there were spores left, no mushrooms would come from just the chitosan

[@LawNOrderHumanRightsUnit]

This is fascinating news for mega projects bc we can build bigger and more stable structures than we can currently with traditional concrete and steel alone. What a time to be alive!

[@josephvinoth6215]

Can it withstand termites?

[@Gikarin.Gamemaster]

I think Hemp blocks are just easier to switch to and more available and have great benefits too.

[@kamalchandramoney3541]

How long does it last!? Is it possible to coat it with epoxy to increase its longevity?

[@teoengchin]

Most bricks are for non-structural applications, so comprehensive strength is not that important

[@TheHammycare]

Im sure this is information that they are intentionally not releasing, but ill give it a shot anyway. Does anyone know what invasive bush is used in the substrate?/what mushroom mycelium they are using? My assumption is reishi

[@gingerrivadeneira6815]

Thanks for your video, Daniela! Have the architects tested the mushroom brick to other environmental conditions like rain and humidity? Will the brick get moldy?

[@SpitfireMkIIFan]

Instead of hitting a lightweight hollow concrete block with like 3cm thickness maybe try to crush a proper concrete block of 40cm like the fungi block was.

[@Mechaneer]

I want a house built out of concrete and hemp.

[@aroundandround]

I would use this for my house just to be able to say I live in a mushroom house.

[@robertwong2412]

This would be dangerous to those with chitin allergies.

[@aroundandround]

3:45 It looked to me like it would just slowly but surely burn over time. Unlike concrete or brick.

[@JN-ov1nv]

👏

[@user-sz9wm4rm5c]

Is this mushroom brick flammable?

[@thragblan]

Did you watch the video? She literally tries to set fire to it

[@user-sz9wm4rm5c]

@@thragblan yes but the bricks can hold big fire, will this material perform the same?

[@ayoolowoleru8251]

Aren’t those blocks cinder block

[@dwayne_]

You said Namibia?

[@dweeds]

Next time you will see the Shaolin monks perform with mushrooms

[@misterguts]

蘑菇砖可以击败少林僧侣

[@user-ls6qk7cx7f]

It's rots is the problem

[@damiangrzywacz6739]

Yes. I can eat it if I was hungry.

[@spacetoast7783]

Mmmm sawdust

[@bad4643]

Bio degradable is my biggest concern lol

[@andreasmershin5026]

A how-to guide: th-cam.com/video/x5HL2CPlZpA/w-d-xo.html

[@kunalm2008gmail]

Insects will eat it away

[@ricardynonsant9690]

That was my first thought. What if some enzyme start eating or some insects

[@kunalm2008gmail]

@@ricardynonsant9690 termites love wood

[@spacetoast7783]

They do that to plain wood as well.

[@listen1st267]

@@spacetoast7783 which is why many people prefer brick, concrete, or vinyl-sided homes

[@davepennington3573]

I'm calling BS on this. Mr Maurer said the bricks are 2x stronger than concrete and he gives 26 MPa (3,771 psi) as their strongest formula. The minimum compression strength for concrete is 2,500 psi. Do the math. And the sledgehammer test is a joke, look at the blocks! The concrete block has large voids, the mushroom block has no voids.
Of course the cost is too high, and until those bricks are waterproof and affordable no one will want to buy them.
This kind of story is only good for one thing: to prove how bad our media really is.

[@vladnickul]

Twice as Strong as Concrete :)))))))))))) 102% fairytales

[@googooly1]

Innovative yes, not feasible whatsoever. It doesn't matter how unique the product is, try building a tower with it!

[@spacetoast7783]

Why can't you build a tower with it?

[@airpods4]

How about instead of saw dust, use concrete mix it with mycelium