It’s been well-documented that a potato can be used as a makeshift
battery. Plenty of science projects have seen lightbulbs shine on thanks
to the awesome power of the spud. It makes a person wonder what other
plants and vegetables can do — and now there’s an answer that no one
would have expected.
Strange as it may seem, researchers at the
University of California have opted to turn portabella mushrooms into
fungal batteries. The process behind it starts with the mushroom’s
natural porosity; since it has so many open spaces, it’s a natural at
storing and transferring energy. On top of that, its carbon and
potassium salt levels make it an easy fit for the demands of the common
battery. If anything, mushroom batteries could be more efficient than
common batteries because of all the advantages offered.
Lithium-ion materials are usually the ones that see use in batteries,
but the weaknesses have long since been noted. The efficiency drops over
time, the production method is expensive, and the chemicals used to
ready them can hurt the environment. Meanwhile, mushrooms are the exact
opposite; they can potentially get better over time as their porous
space increases, they’re a cheap alternative, and being a part of the
environment drastically lowers the chance of harm. So far, there’s
nothing to show from the research besides some patents — but with any
luck, mushrooms will become a successful new standard.
