Can a fungus survive in outer space?

Answer 1

Well, some fungi (such as yeast) can switch to fermentation when oxygen is limited. So as long as a carbohydrate source is available to the fungi, so that it can perform fermentation, I would say it is possible that they survive in outer space.
Now the question is if a carbohydrate molecule can survive in outer space conditions or will it break into its elements: carbon, hydrogen and oxygen?


One more thing! Fungi are not plants! In Biology there are 3 different kingdoms: Animal kingdom, Plant kingdom and Fungus kingdom.

Answer 2

I'll assume that you have the right kind of food and some kind of shelter from heat/cold and and protection from a vacuum. There is also deadly radiation. However, a good question is how much shielding from radiation would be required.

The Van Allen belt around the earth at 400 miles from the surface is deadly without adequate shielding... You would be bombarded with high energy protons and other radiation if this is within a solar system even if you moved away from earth.

If you mean the vacuum of space... not a chance.

Answer 3

fungi actually thrive in outer space as demonstrated on Mir. Fungus grows rampantly in what we would normally think is an inhospitable environment, You can easily research the fungus on Mir

Answer 4

Highly doubt it- fungi need plenty of oxygen to live & grow- much like almost every living thing. Just because fungi are plants, doesn't mean they are completely invulnerable to their surrondings. In space- there is no type of feeding source, no air, so unless there are fungi we have not discovered, no fungi cannot live in space.

Answer 5

First of all, fungi are parasites. They have no chlorophyll of their own and are therefore incapable of making their own nutrients as other plants do (photosynthesis). I don't there would be anything they could grow on. Nope, no "shrooms in space.

Answer 6

well no it could not grow in outter space because it would need oxygen and things in the air to grow.