Quoting +Steven Spence: "No, a guy didn't just go outside of his trailer home and make a scientific breakthrough as the title seems to imply. He actually studied and became a Ph.D., but it's interesting and reinforces my belief that we have lots of untapped potential if we would give people opportunities to study. "

And from the article: "[Spribille] has shown that largest and most species-rich group of lichens are not alliances between two organisms, as every scientist since Schwendener has claimed. Instead, they’re alliances between three. All this time, a second type of fungus has been hiding in plain view."

via Marko Bosscher

"In the 150 years since Schwendener, biologists have tried in vain to grow lichens in laboratories. Whenever they artificially united the fungus and the alga, the two partners would never fully recreate their natural structures. It was as if something was missing—and Spribille might have discovered it."