Fungi can make decisions, identify shapes, have problem-solving skills: Study

Can organisms without a brain still demonstrate intelligence? Researchers from Tohoku University and Nagaoka College sought to answer this question by investigating the decision-making abilities of fungi, specifically their abilities to navigate around spaces.

While it might sound like something out of science fiction, the concept of basal cognition—intelligence that doesn’t require a brain—is proving to be a real phenomenon, even in organisms as simple as fungi.

“You’d be surprised at just how much fungi are capable of,” says Yu Fukasawa from Tohoku University. “They have memories, they learn, and they can make decisions. Quite frankly, the differences in how they solve problems compared to humans are mind-blowing.”

‘Thinking’ fungi?

Fungi grow by releasing spores that germinate into long, thread-like structures called mycelium, which spread underground. While we usually notice only the small mushrooms that sprout on the surface, beneath the ground lies a vast network of interconnected mycelium. This network operates similarly to the neural connections in a brain, allowing fungi to gather and share information about their surroundings.

The study explored how wood-decaying fungi, specifically their mycelial networks, responded to different spatial arrangements of wood blocks. Researchers placed the blocks in two configurations: a circle and a cross. If the fungi lacked decision-making abilities, they would have grown evenly from a central point, without regard to the position of the blocks. However, what the researchers observed suggested a more complex behavior.

In the cross arrangement, the mycelial network concentrated its growth toward the four outermost blocks. The researchers hypothesized that these blocks acted as “outposts,” encouraging the fungi to build stronger connections in order to establish regions for future foraging. This strategy would ensure that the fungi could extend its reach efficiently and gather more resources.

Meanwhile, in the circle arrangement, the fungi spread evenly across all blocks but left the center of the circle untouched. Researchers proposed that the fungi recognized there was no advantage in concentrating growth in an area already well-populated, and instead optimized its resources elsewhere.

The mysterious world of fungi

These findings indicate that fungi are capable of not only gathering information about their environment but also adjusting their growth patterns accordingly. The mycelial network appeared to communicate across its entire structure, making decisions about where to grow based on the layout of its surroundings.

The study adds to a growing body of evidence suggesting that brainless organisms can exhibit forms of intelligence. While we traditionally associate cognition with animals, especially those with complex nervous systems, this research suggests that intelligence could manifest in various ways across the tree of life. In the case of fungi, their “intelligence” appears to be rooted in their ability to process environmental information and make decisions that benefit the organism as a whole.

“Our understanding of the mysterious world of fungi is still limited,” Fukasawa acknowledges . “We know far more about plants and animals than we do about fungi. But this research sheds light on the hidden intelligence within these organisms and how their decision-making processes contribute to broader ecosystems.”

Ultimately, this study opens the door to exploring how cognition may have evolved across different organisms and ecosystems. It prompts scientists to reconsider what it means to be “intelligent” and challenges our preconceived notions of where intelligence begins and ends in the natural world.

As researchers continue to delve into the world of fungi , we may find even more remarkable examples of intelligence in organisms that, at first glance, seem anything but complex.

The study has been published in Fungal Ecology .