I first became fascinated with mushrooms while reading The Omnivore’s Dilemma where author Michael Pollan describes them as a mysterious third kingdom species theorized to get their energy from the moon instead of the sun. This is one of those strange scientific stories that always makes me want to learn more. 
In Colin Tudge’s The Tree: A Natural History of What Trees Are, How They Live, and Why They Matter there were even more instances of the mushroom’s interrelationship and importance with the soil and plant systems. So I am not surprised that a man named Paul Stamet is advocating mushrooms as the answer to everything from the energy crisis and carpenter ant control to controlling waste and fighting viruses.
I stumbled upon Stamet’s presentation “6 Ways Mushrooms Can Save the World” at StumbleUpon.com during my weekly attempt to keep up with science news. I came away with more amazing mushroom trivia. Here are some of the standouts:
- Fungi were the 1st organisms on land 1.3 billion years ago. Plants came about several hundred million years ago.
- Fungi are the largest organisms on the planet. There’s a 2000 year old, 2200 acre mycelium in Eastern Oregon.
- Fungi are “sentient”. Someone walking through the woods is like a dinner bell for the mushrooms calling “loose particles, time to eat!”
- Humans or Animalia are more closely related to Fungi than any other kingdom
- Fungi can get energy from radiation. They can transform hydrocarbons into carbohydrates. For example, petroleum and other toxic wastes can be turned into organic matter.
I love to see how these guys pop up overnight, sometimes in wild colors, other times looking like brown crud with goo drizzled on them.
We are currently trying to cultivate edible mushrooms in some old logs, we’ll see how that works out. It is not recommended that you forage for mushrooms on your own by the way, many are poisonous and only an expert can really tell. I never cease to be amazed by the diversity and complexity of these, well, “creatures”.
I’ve seen Paul Stamet speak publicly and I am currently reading his book “Mycellium Running”. It is fascinating to learn how foundational fungi are to all of creation.
One particular fungi that I am fond of lately is Chaga. It is a conk that grows on Birch trees and make an extremely yummy and healthy tea.