Short answers, pulled from the story.
Scientists classify fungi as eukaryotes because their cells contain membrane-bound nuclei with chromosomes containing DNA. Unlike green plants, fungi lack chloroplasts and cannot photosynthesize to create energy from sunlight.
Molecular phylogenetics confirms that fungi share a common ancestor with animals rather than plants. They diverged from animal ancestors approximately one billion years ago during the Neoproterozoic Era.
A single clonal colony of Armillaria solidipes covers more than 900 hectares. This massive organism is estimated to be nearly 9,000 years old.
The earliest fossils possessing typical fungal features date to the Paleoproterozoic era. A fossil named Ourasphaira giraldae found in the Canadian Arctic may have grown on land a billion years ago.
A defining characteristic separates them from all other kingdoms: chitin in their cell walls. While plant cell walls rely on cellulose, fungal walls combine chitin with glucans.