A fungus is a member of a large group of eukaryotic organisms
that includes microorganisms such as yeasts and molds, as well
as the more familiar mushrooms. These organisms are classified
as a kingdom, Fungi, which are separate from plants, animals,
and bacteria. This fungal group is distinct from the
structurally similar slime molds and water molds. The discipline
of biology devoted to the study of fungi is known as “mycology”,
which is often regarded as a branch of botany, even though
genetic studies have shown that fungi are more closely related
to animals than to plants. Abundant worldwide, most fungi are
subtle because of the small size of their structures, and their
cryptic lifestyles, the ability of an organism to avoid
observation by other organisms in soil, on dead matter, and as
symbionts of plants, animals, or other fungi. Symbiosis is close
and often long-term interactions between different biological
species. Since the 1940s, fungi have been used for the
production of antibiotics, and, more recen