Scientists develop computer-like memory from shiitake mushrooms that could replace silicon-based chips

A team of researchers has created a functioning memory device from the network of thin white filaments that grow beneath the mushroom’s surface, known as mycelium. Researchers say fungi-based circuits could pave the way for greener, brain-like computers offering a low-cost alternative for silicon-based chips in the future.

The Mushrooms That Remember

At the heart of the experiment is a component called a memristor — a kind of electrical switch that “remembers” how much current has passed through it. It’s a building block of so-called neuromorphic computing, a field that tries to design machines that think and learn like human brains.


Instead of using metal or plastic, the team turned to nature. They grew nine shiitake samples in controlled conditions, let the mycelium spread fully, and then dried it under sunlight. Once ready, the samples were wired into custom circuits and tested for electrical response.

What they found surprised them. The fungal material didn’t just conduct electricity — it adapted to it. Each section of the dried mycelium reacted differently depending on how much current it had previously experienced, effectively “remembering” past electrical states.

“We were seeing distinct performance depending on where we connected the wires,” said Dr. John LaRocco of Ohio State University, who led the research. “That kind of behavior is exactly what you want when you’re trying to mimic brain activity.”

Slow but Promising

In tests, the mushroom-based memory devices — playfully dubbed “mushristors” — managed to switch electrical signals nearly six thousand times per second, with around 90 percent accuracy. That’s slower than commercial silicon chips, which operate at nearly double that speed, but impressive for something grown rather than manufactured.

The researchers noticed that pushing higher voltages reduced performance. When they added more mushrooms to the same circuit, however, the system stabilized — hinting that combining multiple fungal units could strengthen computing power.

A Greener Alternative

The discovery comes at a time when the tech industry is searching for sustainable materials to replace energy-intensive silicon manufacturing. Mycelium offers a rare combination: it’s renewable, biodegradable, and inexpensive to grow.

“Building computers that mimic the brain’s efficiency could save huge amounts of energy,” LaRocco said. “Organic materials like fungi might give us that advantage.”

While it will be years before a mushroom-powered laptop hits the market, researchers believe such materials could form the backbone of biohybrid electronics — systems that merge living and synthetic components to reduce power use and electronic waste.