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Article: When fungi and algae marry.(lichens)
- Article from:
- Science News for Kids
- Article date:
- March 12, 2008
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2008 Science Service, Inc. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Lichens (li' kenz) are easy to ignore. They can be microscopically small. They don't move. And they often blend into the background. You might not even recognize one if you were staring right at it.
Chances are, though, you've come face-to-face with plenty of these crusty, leafy, or shrubby growths. Lichens live on rocks, branches, houses, even metal street signs. You can find these often colorful organisms almost everywhere--from deserts to rainforests, Antarctica to Africa. They've survived trips to outer space, and some scientists suspect there might even be lichens on Mars.
"If you go into your backyard, you will definitely find a lichen somewhere," ...