Being single a real drag for spores

Fungus creates a breeze when launching thousands of gametes

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BLAST-OFF The fungus Sclerotinia sclerotiorum generates a breeze when it ejects thousands of spores from its glossy cups, researchers have found. The spores infect crops from peanuts to cabbage. Helene Dillard/Cornell University

Fungi don’t need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows.