In recent years, people have developed a keen interest in the magical world of fungi and the power of these incredible organisms to shape the future of life on earth.
Scientists around the world tout fungi as a solution to some of the most pressing medical, therapeutic, and environmental challenges.
A documentary, Magic fungus, Available now Netflix, Explore these issues and more.
The film is directed by the filmmaker and mushroom curator Louie Schwartzberg and features the contributions of the famous mycologist (mycologist) Paul Stamets. His TED talk “6 Ways Mushrooms Can Save the World” has been viewed millions of times.
The following is an interview with Stamets and Schwartzberg, edited for space and clarity.
Can you outline the importance of fungi to the evolution of plant and animal life?
Paul Stametz: Mesh design of mycelium [a dense mass of fine, thread-like filaments that is the vegetative body for fungi] From brain neurons to computers, to dark matter, it can be replicated in nature. As a successful evolutionary model-the network and the network community can survive better than any individual isolation. This is the law of nature.
Currently, our best evidence for multicellular organisms is mycelium in the lava beds of South Africa. So this is 2.4 billion years ago.
I fully expect that we will find fungi on other planets. I think that matter produces life. Life starts from a single cell, and then connects together to form a string. These strings then fork to create networks and membranes.
The fungal network precedes the animals and promotes the development of plants to land. Our planet is unlikely to be unique in terms of inevitably creating life from matter. When life emerges, the mycelial network is more able to adapt to changes.
The fungus-like hyphae network in space is the inevitable result of the appearance of matter in life.
What is the therapeutic potential of psilocybin (a psychoactive substance found in some “magic” mushrooms)?
I think all the research on celoxibin mushrooms is very exciting. For example, a study just published by Yale University showed that although in rats, a dose of psilocybin causes an increase in neurons.
This actually determines that they have neurogenetic properties, and they increase the ability of neurons to grow and form synaptic connections. Things that increase synapse occurrence and help repair neurons can lead to a healthier mental state. This may be one of the best medical breakthroughs of our time.
Actually, [myself and colleagues] There is an app called microdose.me-we have more than 14,000 people self-reporting.
We have a paper submitted to a well-known journal.It turns out that in all these people, there is a strong correlation between microdosing [with psychedelic substances] And reduce depression.
What is your opinion on the so-called “stone ape theory” put forward by the ethnobotanist Terence McKenna, that psilocybin is an “evolution of language, art, religion and other aspects of modern human culture” catalyst”?
Stamens: Between 200,000 and 2 million years ago, that is, recently, the brains of primates increased dramatically-when climate change was severe.
At first I ridiculed the Stone Ape theory. It was a great Stone Man talk. I really doubted it, but now I am not. Now, we see evidence that psilocybin stimulates neurogenesis and builds new neurons.
What is happening now is that this crazy hypothesis is becoming more and more believable. In our lifetime, we may or may not be able to prove the stone ape theory. But more and more evidence actually supports that psilocybin stimulates neurons. I think we should pay attention to this.
Can you tell me something about the meaning of mycelium?
Stamens: I think this movie is so effective, it shows that at every step you take, you are walking on a live fungal membrane that is extremely sensitive to your presence.
The mycelial network is a truly active web-based membrane, it just buzzes with activity. Many of the evidence we see now was once considered to be just folklore, for example, lightning strikes can stimulate mushroom formation-now we know that this is true, electrical pulses stimulate mushroom formation.
Then I suddenly realized recently that because mycelium underground can reach eight miles within a cubic inch, these filaments are sensitive to vibrations—not only your feet on the ground, but also sound waves.
These are like strings on a violin, strings on a piano, strings on a guitar. Therefore, when you have lightning or thunder on the horizon, when you have someone playing drums to celebrate a wedding or birth, these sound waves will echo throughout the hyphae network and stimulate the growth of mycelium.
As it grows, it will deliver more nutrients to plants, berries and fruit trees, and it will give you more fruits. So I think nature is listening through these myceliums around us. For many people, this is an important “aha” moment.
Nature knows our existence through these fungal membranes. When we roar in the microcosm under our feet like giants, the mycelium realizes our existence. Nature is listening to our voices. It is sensing our existence. The fungus jumped up to take advantage of the debris field we created.
I think it is the mycelium network that repairs and creates new habitats for terrestrial organisms. By understanding and letting mycelium become the manager of ecological health and the creator of soil, we have a better chance to survive collectively on this planet and enter the universe.
Louis Schwarzberg: Suzanne Simard has always been a leading scientist in this field. She was able to put a radioisotope into a tree or a plant and track the fact that it passed through this underground mycelial network to another planted tree, which shows that the forest is a community, not a bunch of trees.
If they are attacked by pests or some kind of disease, this communication network can share information and nutrition-like a warning system.
This is really extraordinary. I think aboriginal culture always has a correct concept, that is, forest is a kind of spirit-you see it as a forest, not a pile of trees to be felled.
Fantastic Fungi was released by the movie distributor Area 23a and is now available on Netflix.
