A new method to sustainably make buildings fireproof has been developed by researchers in Australia.
The team from RMIT University in Melbourne created panels made of fungus that can be used to clad structures and keep them protected during a blaze.
"The great thing about mycelium is that it forms a thermal protective char layer when exposed to fire or radiant heat," Everson Kandare, a specialist in the flammability and thermal properties of biomaterials, told the Institution of Mechanical Engineers.
"The longer and the higher temperature at which mycelium char survives, the better its use as a fireproof material."
