The outermost four blocks, which had a greater degree of connection, may have served as "outposts" for foraging and absorbing water and nutrients from the soil, facilitated by their greater hyphal connections.
Fungal mycelium experiences what's called acropetal growth, meaning it grows outward in all directions from the center. Consistent with this, the hyphae started out growing outward from each block.
Over time, the hyphae shifted to growing in the direction that would get them the most nutrients, highlighting a crucial aspect of their adaptive growth patterns.
Electrical signals are transmitted through hyphae; these sync up after the hyphae connect into one huge mycelium, similar to signals transmitted among neurons.
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