Eric Ripert at Le Bernardin is the first chef in New York City to be cooking with Nature’s Fynd, which is not seafood at all, but a protein fermented from an extremophilic fungal microbe (Fusarium strain flavolapis or “yellow stone,” nicknamed Fy) discovered by NASA-funded scientists in an acidic hot spring in Yellowstone National Park.

By Richard Conniff for The New York Times

More gorgeous images from everyone's favorite Chinese photographer

Sumptuous nighttime photos of forests and stars

Austin-based urban farm serves up organic delights