I did not read this article, but I read a different one a couple of days ago. The headline should be "Researcher from University of Montana overturns 150 years of understanding of lichens" or some such. It is still a (really) big deal, but that title is so link-baity it is absolutely disgusting.

EDIT:

Lichens aren't quite what we thought, shocked scientists discover

http://www.cbc.ca/beta/news/technology/lichen-yeast-1.368946...