NEWPORT NEWS, Va. — There’s always a fungus among us ... in lawns, gardens and woods"Fungi are part of our everyday lives," says Theresa Augustin, curator of natural areas at Norfolk Botanical Garden in Norfolk, Va. Fungi help us in many ways, she explains. They break down organic matter in the soil, break down toxic materials in contaminated soil into nontoxic components, provide vital medicines like penicillin and provide bubbles in beer and bread.