For centuries, gold has been synonymous with power, wealth and progress. However, its extraction has been linked to expensive, destructive and, often, unattainable methods for the majority. Now, an unexpected discovery could alter the rules of the game: a known and cultivable fungus, with the surprising ability to produce gold. What was once alchemy is now called Metabolic mining.
A common organism with extraordinary skills
The protagonist of this finding is the Fusarium oxysporuma fungus found in various natural environments, especially in the forests of Australia. Although he was already known for his ability to break down organic matter and metals as iron or calcium, his behavior with gold had never been documented so clearly.
The team led by Tsing Bohu, of the CSIRO (organization of scientific and industrial research of the Commonwealth), was the one who discovered this unusual ability. In an experiment published in Nature Communicationsmixed the fungus with asteroid belt meteorite dust. The result left all perplexed: the fungus absorbed the minerals and began to produce tiny gold particles.
Although the amount obtained was small, the process proved surprisingly efficient. More than a scientific anecdote, this could mark the beginning of a new era in obtaining precious metals.
The promise of metabolic mining: gold without damaging the planet
This phenomenon is framed within a new discipline: metabolic mining. Its objective is to replace the traditional extraction methods – intensives in energy and devastating for the environment – with biological processes in which fungi, bacteria or other living organisms do work.
Instead of large excavations, aggressive chemicals and polluting emissions, this technique relies on the natural abilities of certain microorganisms to find and transform materials. And in the case of Fusarium oxysporumgold becomes part of its biological structure.
This advance would not only have ecological, but also economic applications: it would allow people, companies and even countries without access to large mining infrastructure can produce gold decentralized, controlled and clean.
Gold at home? Not yet … but it’s not so crazy
Although the head of “planting gold at home” sounds utopian, the beginning behind the idea is real. If this fungus is genetically modified to make it more efficient and safe, it would not be impossible to imagine laboratory cultivation systems or controlled environments to produce gold in small quantities.
Of course: the process is not magical or instantaneous. It requires specific conditions, interaction with certain metal particles and an adequate environment. But what was previously an alchemical fantasy – transforming metals in gold – now has a scientific basis.
Beyond Earth: towards an interplanetary biotechnology
One of the most fascinating aspects of this finding is its potential beyond the planet. The so -called metabolic mining is not limited to earth. Thanks to databases such as Week inWe know that many asteroids contain precious metals, and an improved version of this fungus could one day be used to “grow gold” in space.
This would not only reduce the environmental impact of land mining, but would open the door to a new space economy based on resources extracted from celestial bodies. An idea that seemed science fiction a decade ago and today has specific names, data and organisms working on its development.
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