The grey patches are likely lichen, a combination of a fungus and an algae. It is harmless to you and the tree. It is common ...

The chemical basis of the lichen’s resistance lies in its UV-opaque cortex, a structural layer enriched with phenolic lichen ...

Landing on Mars once felt like a distant dream. Now, space agencies have sent rovers and landers to explore the Red Planet ...

Have you ever noticed the strange, colorful splotches clinging to rocks, tree bark, or even old fences after a rainy day?

A thin layer found in the top few centimeters of soil plays a big role in its ecology. Biocrust is built, maintained and ...

Lichens have survived Martian conditions in an unprecedented scientific experiment. This discovery opens new perspectives on the possibility of extraterrestrial life. Lichens, these symbiotic ...

Algal blooms have many causes, but it's commonly chemicals in industrial fertilizers that end up in rivers and oceans in a ...

Even the topsoil here at Arches National Park is special: It's alive. , also called cryptobiotic crust, is a layer made up of , algae, fungi, lichens, and other organisms.