It's easy to look around these days and think
to yourself, "Humanity is screwed". The earth is getting hotter, the planetās
drowning in plastic, and weāre on the brink of a global energy crisis. The human population is growing faster than
we can feed and accommodate it, and weāre entering an era of pandemic viruses, the most
dangerous of which seems to be stupidity. Things look bleak, but before you start washing
your Prozac down with hemlock, there is hope on the horizon. Because a growing body of research is revealing
that a weird, ancient and freely occurring life form could help us solve many of the
problems we face as a species today. And that life form is fungus. Now, when you hear the word 'fungus' you probably
think of mouldy bread or that stuff growing on your big toe you're too afraid to see the
doctor about. But, thankfully, fungi are more diverse than
that. Depending on who you speak to, there are between
2.2 and 5 million different species of fungi in the world today, and together they form
an entirely separate kingdom, making them neither plant nor animal nor bacteria. And though most of us tend to think of plants
and fungi as broadly similar, weirdly enough fungi are actually more closely related to
us humans than they are to plants. That really does help explain some people,
doesn't it? Fungi also include microorganisms like yeasts
and moulds, which are pretty much everywhere. They exist in the ocean, on land and in every
natural environment. They're on your coffee mug, they're on the
International Space Station. They're all over you and inside you right
now. You have my permission to freak out a little
bit. The fungal element most people are familiar
with is the mushroom, which is essentially the fruit of a fungus. Weāve identified about 20 000 species of
fungi that produce mushrooms and, as we shall see later, these vary from the deadly to the
delicious to the magical. But the mushroom is only the tip of the fungal
iceberg. Below lies a mysterious and often unseen web
of fibrous threads that weave over, in and through organic matter. This is mycelium, the vegetative part of fungus. Mycelia help serve fungi's number one role
in the natural ecosystem: eating all the dead stuff. Fungi can't photosynthesise like plants do
because they don't contain chlorophyll. So, like humans, they need to get their nutrients
from other organisms. They do this by decomposing organic compounds:
animals, wood, plants, basically anything made from carbon. But, unlike humans and other beasts who eat
their food and then digest it, the mycelium likes to do things the other way around, secreting
enzymes into or onto whatever itās having for dinner , to break it down into smaller
biological units before absorbing the nutrients. As if decomposing the world's organic material
wasn't enough of a responsibility, mycelium plays another extraordinary role in natural
systems. Spreading throughout the soil, mycelia connect
with each other and the roots of plants and trees to form complex communication and distribution
networks. When a fungus colonises the roots of a plant,
it sets up a win-win relationship known as a "mycorrhiza" By connecting with plant root
systems, fungi receive carbohydrates, while in return the plants receive extra water and
nutrients like phosphorus and nitrogen via the fungi's mycelium. About 90% of land plants take advantage of
this set up, which also helps plants build up their immune systems, making them stronger
and encouraging growth. When mycelium first connects to a plant's
root system, it triggers a defensive chemical response in the plant. This process, called priming, makes plants'
immunity reactions faster and more efficient. But the mycelia impact goes far beyond single
plants. We now know mycelium networks join up, connecting
plants with each other in a subterranean information superhighway. Trees use the mycelium network to transfer
carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus between them, helping maintain nutrient balance across many
different plants. It appears older trees even help younger ones
to grow - a study of seedlings growing in the shade where they are more likely to be
short of nutrients revealed they received carbon from donor trees around them via mycelium. And though these discoveries are still pretty
new, it seems plants can even use the mycelium net to communicate. Studies have shown that when a single plant
is infected with a harmful fungus or attacked by pests, it sends out a warning via the mycelium
network, with plants connected to that network showing a more potent immune resistance. Plants that arenāt connected never get the
message and show weaker immune responses. By studying these stange and complex interactions,
scientists believe we may be able to dramatically improve farming techniques that have traditionally
destroyed these precious mycelium networks, which - along with the rise in cultivation
of edible mushrooms in third world countries, could help in the fight against world hunger. But it's not all holding hands and ālove
thy neighbourā. Some plants turn the mycelium internet into
the dark web by using it for nefarious purposes. Some orchids, for example, have little or
no ability to photosynthesise, so they hack into surrounding plants via mycelium to steal
the carbon they need. Other plants are even more mercenary. When competing for resources like water and
light, they use mycelium to release chemicals into the soil that harm rivals or deter them
from growing. This process, called "allelopathy", is known
to happen via tree leaves and roots, but the discovery that fungi are helping to amplify
the effect is new. As a reminder of why they weren't invited
to the cool parties at college, many biologists have started calling this dense communication
network the "wood wide web", and some estimate there to be three hundred miles of mycelium
under every footstep you take through the forest. Nicknamed the humongous fungus, the largest
living organism on the planet is proof of this. Growing in ancient woodland in Oregon is a
single giant fungus estimated to be 2,400 years old. The mycelium of this armillaria ostoyae, popularly
known as the honey mushroom, covers an area as big as 1,600 football fields and is more
than 5 kilometres across. It extends an average of one metre into the
earth, but above ground the only evidence of its existence are clumps of honey mushrooms
that sporadically bloom after itās rained. For human beings, mycelium has other uses
which may be critical to getting out of the mess we've created for ourselves. The fantastic qualities of different fungi,
especially their ability to break down carbon-based substances, promise potential miracle solutions
to many of the environmental problems weāre facing. And it's impossible to talk about these possibilities
without mentioning Paul Stamets. Paul is a mushroom hunter, mushroom cultivator,
and mycologist - someone who loves mushrooms so much they study them as a job. He even wears a hat made of mushrooms, and
that should tell you all you need to know. Paul and his team have grown rare strains
of fungi which have seemingly mystical medicinal properties while also discovering new potential
for well-known mushrooms. Oyster mushrooms, for example, could help
clean up oil spills. Stamets has developed a strain that is saltwater
resistant and eats hydrocarbons, the organic compounds in petroleum and natural gas. One trial showed an oyster mushroom strain
could reduce diesel contaminants in soil from 10,000 parts per million to just 200 parts
per million in about four months. The mycelium of the whimsically-named stump
fairy helmet mushroom can break down PCBs, cancer-causing chemicals once used in the
manufacture of various electronic equipment. In fact, fungi could be the solution to one
of the biggest environmental contaminants we have: plastic. There are estimated to be more than 150 million
tonnes of plastic in our oceans, and by 2050 there might be more plastic than fish. The problem with plastic is it takes forever
to break down and usually creates toxic pollution in the process. But in the last few years, scientists around
the world have discovered more than 50 types of fungus that can eat plastic. The fungus pestalotiopsis microspora is capable
of surviving entirely on polyurethane - the main ingredient in plastic - and can even
break plastics down into new, safe fungal tissues. Mycelium isnāt just getting rid of the plastic
weāve already produced, either - itās also being used to create alternatives to
plastic packaging, which can take thousands of years to biodegrade. Beyond packaging, mycelium is a surprisingly
versatile and durable material in general - the mouldy spores that grow on agricultural
waste, or on old cardboard, are being converted into faux leather, textiles, furniture, and
even coffins. Mycelium composites can also be made strong
enough for use as a building material in the form of bricks, meaning there are implications
for the construction industry too. Whether mycelium building materials could
offer a solution to some of the estimated 1.6 billion people worldwide who live without
adequate housing remains to be seen, but they certainly have the potential to dramatically
improve the sustainability of an industry that uses over 400 million tons of building
materials in the UK alone each year as well as creating an additional 100 million tons
of waste. Fungi can do all of this because their cell
walls are made of a molecule called chitin, which is bendy and tough. Fungi are so tough, in fact, that they help
break down rock into soil. They may also be able to help reverse the
soil damage caused by mass commercial agriculture, since they're good at decomposing organic
compounds and can break down some contaminants in soil, like pesticides. Pollutants may also be removed from water
using mycofiltration, a process of harnessing cultivated mycelium to filter water. If cleaning up the planet and replacing high-environmental
impact materials wasnāt enough, fungi may also be playing a far greater role in preventing
climate change than was previously realised by helping trees absorb CO2 more quickly and
slowing the process of decomposition that releases carbon from forest soils. These fung-tastic solutions to environmental
problems are exciting and relatively new, but fungi have been powerful sources of medicine
for thousands of years, particularly in the east. Thereās the Reishi mushroom, which supports
the immune system, promotes weight loss, encourages better sleep, and eases depression. Lion's mane mushroom is excellent for the
mind. It may even prevent Alzheimer's and multiple
sclerosis by stimulating the development of nerve growth factor, the stuff that helps
grow new neurons in the brain. Turkey tail mushroom contains a compound called
polysaccharide-K that stimulates the immune system. This compound is so effective in treating
cancer it's an approved prescription drug in Japan. Turkey tail has been linked with resistance
to leukaemia cells, improving survival rates for people with certain other cancers, and
improved immune systems for people receiving chemotherapy. There are many more examples of fungi medicine,
but Western medical science only really cottoned on to this fairly recently. In 1928, medical physician and scientist Alexander
Fleming returned from vacation to find an unusual bacteria-munching mould growing on
a petri dish in his lab. This fluffy white mass would become penicillin,
the world's first commercially-produced antibiotic. Fungus is also behind the drug cyclosporine,
which helps prevent rejection of transplanted organs. An ancient and near-extinct mushroom known
as agarikon was first documented in 65 AD in Materia Medica, the first known manual
of herbal medicine, and is possibly the longest-living mushroom on earth. Itās also the focus of intense medical study
for its potential in helping us fight viruses which, as you may have noticed, have been
a bit of an issue recently. Agarikon contains antiviral molecules new
to science, and initial studies show impressive activity against viruses such as pox, swine
flu, bird flu, and herpes. The fungus also has potent anti-inflammatory
and antibacterial properties. In ancient Greece, it was recommended in the
treatment of consumption - now known as tuberculosis - and it might prove to be a game-changer
in the fight against multidrug-resistant TB. Beyond physical health, though, mushrooms
are increasingly being shown to have mental health benefits. Of the tens of thousands of varieties in existence,
just a few hundred of them are known to be psychoactive, which is science-speak for:
eat one and you'll trip your balls off. And most of these species have this effect
thanks to an active ingredient called psilocybin. I am, of course, referring to the fabled magic
mushroom. Rock paintings in Australia suggest eating
these special fungi goes back to at least 10,000 BC, while more rock paintings, this
time in Spain, show prehistoric people in present-day Europe were blowing their minds
in at least 4,000 years BC. Mushroom mythology among the Mayans goes back
to 1,500 BC, and. in the 16th century, a Spanish priest called Bernardino de Sahagun wrote
about the use of magic mushrooms among the Aztec people. But, when the Spanish conquered much of central
and south America, many religious rituals were outlawed and magic mushrooms were forced
to go into cultural hiding. It wasn't until the mid-20th century that
they resurfaced in western countries. In 1939, two ethnobotanists named Schultes
and Reko published a paper in Harvard University Botanical Museum leaflets detailing the use
of psilocybin mushrooms by practitioners in Mexico. Just under twenty years later, two mycologists
named Wasson and Heim travelled to Mexico to check the story out for themselves. They ate mushrooms under the guidance of a
local shaman and then wrote about the experience in Life Magazine in 1957. An editor named the piece "Seeking the Magic
Mushroom," and psychoactive mushrooms have been āmagicā in popular culture ever since. The article was picked up by Timothy Leary,
a Harvard psychologist and big fan of hallucinogenic drugs, who began to experiment with psilocybin. You might know his name from the 1968 Moody
Blues hit Legend of a Mind - apparently advocating the use of psychedelic drugs is a good way
to win brownie points with rock and roll types. Psilocybin was soon a favourite of hippies
everywhere and strongly linked with the growing counterculture of the 60s and 70s. But it wasn't all free love and psychedelic
dream catchers. Around this time, psilocybin was isolated
and synthesised by Albert Hofman, the same guy who invented LSD, and used in hundreds
of clinical trials. Psychologists, psychiatrists and other mental
health professionals saw promising results for patients with conditions like depression,
anxiety, alcoholism and OCD. But the 70s saw a ban placed on the use of
psilocybin for anything other than medical research. Studies ground to a halt, and nothing happened
for about thirty years until research started up again in the 2000s. A research group at John Hopkins University
was the first to obtain regulatory approval in the US to study psilocybin, though by then
it was, in the US and many countries, a Schedule 1 substance, making it as illegal as heroin
or crack .But, last year, the University launched the Johns Hopkins's Center for Psychedelic
and Consciousness Research dedicated to uncovering the medical potential of substances like psilocybin. Using better science, more sophisticated technology
and improved methods, more and more academic studies are confirming the hypothesis from
50 years ago: that the active ingredient in magic mushrooms can be a powerful treatment
for multiple mental health disorders. So, next time you sneer at a piece of mouldy
bread, just remember fungus could help the environment, your body and your mind, and
the whole of humanity d. But then throw it away anyway, because saviour
of humanity or not, mouldy bread is gross.
3 shadow banned comments. Also, most of these British "fact" channels are usually full of shit.
Edit: yep a look through the videos and most are clickbait, including one about the earth being flat.