Can mushrooms really save the world like Paul Stamets says?

Question

http://www.ted.com/talks/view/id/258

Answer 1

I joined a local mycological society last year because I had discovered how much I didn't know about mushrooms and other fungi.  It's a fascinating process.

Absolutely, I loved the presentation, and I want to know more about this guy.

Thanks for sharing this.

Answer 2

probably

it puts people into a  frame of mind much closer to nature

especially the blue Mexican ones.

Maybe one step closer to global consciousness

Terrance McKenna thought they were messages from across space ,that with out language ,or mathmatics conveyed the same message to all who ate them

each specie carries a different message ,and it could be true

,because unlike other hallucinogenics .

every one across the globe experiences the same thing depending on the mushroom

for example Amanita Muscara takes one  beyond death ,for every one

the spores float through space unharmed and come down to earth with other debris

God is not doing to well at the moment ,having lost control over the conduct of his flock as well as the planet itself

I cannot get into your link at the moment but will see what Paul says asap.

Answer 3

Yes.

Mushrooms 'Mycelium' are regulating the earth's ecosystems, recycling carbon, nitrogen and other essential elements as they break down plant and animal matter to create new soil. They are essential for the health of our soil and ecosystem. Mycellium are the 'missing' keys to both human and the Earth's health. Trees and other green plants could not grow and reach maturity without symbiotic associations with mycelium, the network of fungal threads in the soil that act as interfaces between plant roots and nutrients. Certain kinds of mycelium grow into the roots of plants, sometimes right into the root cells of plants. They trade sugars made by the plants for nutrients and water brought to the roots by the Mycelium. Some mycorrhiza have specific plant hosts others are generalized, they are not parasitic.

But we are losing them before we can even identify them. We are reducing biodiversity, through man's activity from clear cutting forests to developing land which stops them migrating and adapting. We are destabilizing nutrient cycles, which results in crop failures, loss of diversity and the need for ever more invasive farming techniques/chemicals to be used so contributing to global warming.

Mycellium also help to protect the land from the damage we humans inflict. Stamets the author of the book referenced below has discovered ways in which Mycelium can be used to decompose toxic wastes and pollutants, catch and reduce silt from stream beds and pathogens from agricultural watersheds and can be used to control insect populations too.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BelfLIJEr...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jNWmllh9Q...

Neutralizing petroleum based hydrocarbons using Mushroom Mycelium. Mushroom mycelium absorbs diesel and denatures it. Well designed for breaking a whole suite of hydro carbon based contaminates. Excellent results on pcbs pcps dioxins, most pesticides most herbicides, petroleum based fuels, diesel, gasoline etc. Once this is re-mediated, phyto-remediation can take place (succession) so that insects and other animals can move in afterwards; you have a holistic eco system.

The chemical make up of oil is very similar to that of wood. The fungus has evolved special enzymes in order to break down cellulose and lignin which is the dark brown stuff in wood. The Mycelium can then be 'trained' to digest similar compounds ie pcbs pcps dioxins, most pesticides most herbicides, petroleum based fuels, diesel, gasoline etc. This is done by exposing the Mycelium to small amounts of the toxic material so they then evolve new enzymes in order to digest these materials.

Breakthrough research pre-sporalating living mycelium did the opposite of the sporalating mycellium. Insects can be selectively attracted to a locus. A new patent is active against all social insects with a queen up to 200,000 species this will totally revamp pesticide industry.



This is amazing research paving the way for novel techniques in myco-remediation (using fungus). Leading onto the use of bacteria which is a natural succession from the fungal myceliated medium, thus allowing the use of human manure which is a problem resource (after normal sewage bed treatment). So a negative output becomes a valuable input.

Can mushrooms really save the world. YES I am certain they can IF we learn to respect them and remember that they have intrinsic value in their own right, not what they can just provide for man/financial gain.

Answer 4

of course as mushrooms are the fruits of god

Answer 5

No only God can save the world.

Answer 6

only the people can save the world if no wars for oil