We ate space mushrooms and survived to tell the tale

Two women hold up spongy white materials to the camera, one woman wears glasses and a pink blazer and the other has a gold hoop earring.

This article was originally published at The Conversation. The publication contributed the article to Space.com's Expert Voices: Op-Ed & Insights.

The mushrooms spread out on the chopping board seemed normal enough. They were rich and dense, and had a strong earthy aroma. In the saucepan, they melted – along with the cheese – to form a creamy pasta sauce.