A mossy fungus could be used to make nutritional food products after an apocalypse, or on Mars, according to research by designer Julia Schwarz.
In her project Unseen Edible, Schwarz ? a recent graduate from the University of Applied Arts in Vienna ? has developed a range of food products made from lichen, a hardy fungus-like species that grows on plants, tree bark and rocks.
Schwarz has developed a range of food products made from lichen, including butter and pesto
People were invited to sample these products, from bread and butter, to pesto and pasta, during the recent Vienna Design Week.
According to the designer, lichens could offer a source of nutrition in a potential future food shortage, as they are easy to grow, even in harsh climates and environments. People were invited to sample products such as lichen bread during Vienna Design Week
"Next to algae and insects, which are already receiving a great deal of attention, lichens posses a great deal of potential as a source of nutrition in the future," said Schwarz.
"Extremely hardy, they can be termed a superfood," she explained. "They could even grow on Mars!"
Lichen is a hardy fungus-like species that can grow on plants, tree bark, rocks, soil and sand
There are at least 20,000 different species of lichen, and they grow across an estimated six per cent of the earth's surface. They are one of the oldest living organisms on the planet, able to survive on almost any surface and endure ex...