Mushroom-infused chips an alternative to using rare earths in memristors (www.tomshardware.com)

Researchers at Ohio State University demonstrated that shiitake mushroom mycelium can function as a low-cost, biodegradable memristor—offering an alternative to rare-earth–based materials for neuromorphic hardware. By cultivating, drying, and rehydrating mycelial samples to tune conductivity, the team verified memristive behavior and neuronal-like spiking signals across a range of voltages, waveforms, and frequencies. The devices are reported to be dehydration- and radiation-resistant, and when used as RAM operated up to 5,850 Hz with about 90 ± 1% accuracy. This matters because memristors are prized for integrating memory and processing in a single, low-power element—critical for brain-inspired, edge and embedded AI where size, energy, and resilience are key. Mushroom-derived memristors could reduce dependence on scarce rare-earth metals and expensive fabrication, enabling greener, lighter neuromorphic components for robotics, aerospace, and other edge applications. The work points to unconventional, bio-hybrid computing substrates that mimic neural dynamics, though it remains early-stage research; scaling, longevity, variability control, and manufacturing integration will determine real-world viability.