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Hello, our planet is home to millions of species of fungi

and the role they play is vital.

Without fungi life on Earth, as we note, simply wouldn't exist.

They also play an important part in our everyday lives.

The making of bread, beer and wine wouldn't be possible

if fungi were not available.

In the field of medicine, they've been part of the production of certain antibiotics since penicillin.

However, there are other fungi which can cause nasty diseases in humans and destroy trees.

Some fungi are even toxic to humans and can kill if consumed.

Despite their significance, much of the way in which fungi operate remains a mystery.

With me to discuss fungi are Sarah Ger, professor of food security in the biosciences department

at the University of Exeter, and then body professor of fungal ecology at Cardiff University,

and Derby Johnson, NHR in microbial ecology at the University of Manchester.

Then body, what is a fungus and what do they look like?

Well, fungi are not plants and not animals, they're not bacteria, they're a kingdom of their own.

You could be forgiven, I suppose, for thinking that they're plants,

...