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Fri, Dec 05, 2025 04:36 PM All times are UTC

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Karen Hughes

Professor of Mycology, University of Tennessee
My interests are in fungal (agaric) speciation patterns and biogeography. Phylogenies based on DNA sequences are used to answer the following questions.

Do agaric “species” have a global distribution indicating widespread gene flow via airborne spore distribution or are they partitioned into geographic sub-areas? If partitioned, what factors act to prevent gene flow between populations and how did populations migrate to present-day distributions?
Are current distribution patterns within species a consequence of vicariance events or more recent quaternary migrations?

Together with Ron Petersen and many other mycological experts, we are examining agaric biodiversity in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GSMNP) with a grant from NSF. This is in conjunction with the All Taxa Biodiversity Inventory that is taking place. We wish to answer the following questions:

What factors contribute to the unusually high diversity of fungi found in the Smokies? Is diversity partitioned?
What factors contribute to the unusually high rates of heterozygosity observed in fungi from the Smokies and are there limits to the observed heterozygosity.
How has biodiversity changed over a 50 year period? Can the effects of climate change be detected?

A third interest is in modernizing biological collections. The fungal herbarium at Tennessee holds over 60,000 specimens. An NSF grant has been awarded to digitize the collection and make it available through GBIF. Funds are available for undergraduate and graduate students who are interested in collections to work on this project.

Why are some mushrooms poisonous?

Jun 07, 2021 23:47 pm UTC| Science

Why are some mushrooms poisonous and some are not? Alice T., age 11 You may have noticed that mushrooms pop up in your yard or in parks right after a rain but dont last for long. A mushroom is the above-ground...

Economy

Gold Prices Edge Higher as Markets Await Key U.S. PCE Inflation Data

Gold prices moved higher in Asian trading on Friday, supported by a weakening U.S. dollar and strong expectations that the Federal Reserve will cut interest rates at its upcoming December 910 meeting. Spot gold rose 0.5%...

Asia’s IPO Market Set for Strong Growth as China and India Drive Investor Diversification

Asias equity capital markets are poised for another strong year as a surge of high-profile IPOs from China and India attracts global investors seeking diversification beyond U.S. assets. In 2025, Asian ECM...

Spain’s Industrial Output Records Steady Growth in October Amid Revised September Figures

Spains industrial sector posted a moderate yet encouraging rise in October, with industrial output increasing 1.2% compared to the same month last year, according to new data released by the National Statistics Institute...

European Stocks Rise as Markets Await Key U.S. Inflation Data

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European Oil & Gas Stocks Face 2026 With Cautious Outlook Amid Valuation Pressure

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Politics

Taiwan Opposition Criticizes Plan to Block Chinese App Rednote Over Security Concerns

Taiwans political landscape heated up after the government announced a plan to suspend access to the Chinese social media platform Rednoteknown as Xiaohongshufor one year. The interior ministry said the proposed ban stems...

China’s Expanding Maritime Military Presence Alarms Taiwan and Japan

Taiwan and Japan expressed growing concern on Friday over Chinas expanding military activity across East Asian waters, following a Reuters report revealing Beijings largest maritime deployment to date. According to...

Honduras Election Turmoil Intensifies as Nasralla Blames Trump for Shift in Results

Honduran presidential candidate Salvador Nasralla says last-minute interference by former U.S. President Donald Trump undermined his chances in the countrys tightly contested election. Speaking with Reuters, Nasralla, a...

Australia and Japan Strengthen Defence Cooperation Amid Rising Regional Tensions

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U.S. Justice Department Orders Intensified Probe Into Antifa and Domestic Extremist Groups

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Science

Senate Sets December 8 Vote on Trump’s NASA Nominee Jared Isaacman

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NASA Cuts Boeing Starliner Missions as SpaceX Pulls Ahead

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Blue Origin’s New Glenn Achieves Breakthrough Success With First NASA Mission

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Cogent Biosciences Soars 120% on Breakthrough Phase 3 Results for Bezuclastinib in GIST Treatment

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Trump and Merck KGaA Partner to Slash IVF Drug Costs and Expand Fertility Coverage

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Technology

EU Prepares Antitrust Probe Into Meta’s AI Integration on WhatsApp

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Sam Altman Reportedly Explored Funding for Rocket Venture in Potential Challenge to SpaceX

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Wikipedia Pushes for AI Licensing Deals as Jimmy Wales Calls for Fair Compensation

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OpenAI Moves to Acquire Neptune as It Expands AI Training Capabilities

OpenAI has confirmed plans to acquire Neptune, a startup known for its advanced tools that help companies track, monitor, and optimize AI model training workflows. Although the company did not release the financial details...