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Abstract Signaling pathways in fungi offer a profound avenue for harnessing cellular communication and have garnered considerable interest in biomaterial engineering. Fungi respond to environmental stimuli through intricate signaling networks involving biochemical and electrical pathways, yet deciphering these mechanisms remains a challenge. In this review, an overview of fungal biology and their signaling pathways is provided, which can be activated in response to external stimuli and direct fungal growth and orientation. By examining the hyphal structure and the pathways involved in fungal signaling, the current state of recording fungal electrophysiological signals as well as the landscape of fungal biomaterials is explored. Innovative applications are highlighted, from sustainable materials to biomonitoring systems, and an outlook on the future of harnessing fungi signaling in living composites is provided.

Abstract Carbons form critical components in biogas purification and energy storage systems and are used to modify polymer matrices. The environmental impact of producing carbons has driven research interest in biomass‐derived carbons, although these have yield, processing, and resource competition limitations. Naturally formed fungal filaments are investigated, which are abundantly available as food‐ and biotechnology‐industry by‐products and wastes as cost‐effective and sustainable templates for carbon networks. Pyrolyzed Agaricus bisporus and Pleurotus eryngii filament networks are mesoporous and microscale with a size regime close to carbon fibers. Their BET surface areas of ≈282 m2 g−1 and ≈60 m2 g−1, respectively, greatly exceed values associated with carbon fibers and non‐activated pyrolyzed bacterial cellulose and approximately on par with values for carbon black and CNTs in addition to pyrolyzed pinewood, rice husk, corn stover or olive mill waste. They also exhibit greater specific capacitance than both non‐activated and activated pyrolyzed bacterial cellulose in addition to YP‐50F (coconut shell based) commercial carbons. The high surface area and specific capacitance of fungal carbon coupled with the potential to tune these properties through species‐ and growth‐environment‐associated differences in network and filament morphology and inclusion of inorganic material through biomineralization makes them potentially useful in creating supercapacitors.