Paul Stamets: 6 Ways Mushrooms Can Save The World

Paul Stamets is the world's leading mushroom tinkerer. He's figured out ways to use mushrooms to break down toxicity, and believes that their effectiveness as a vaccine makes preserving old growth forests a matter of national security. In the labratory, he's derived fuel from their sugars, and has discovered how to use them as "the most destructive technology" many executives in the pesticide industry say they've ever seen in pest control. His book, Mycellium Running, paints a compellingly strange portrait of the planet in its early days, when the first living organisms on land were funghi, a kingdom of sentient beings who long predate plants, and who have more in common with humans than any other species. Stamets believes that, even though we humans are being voted off the planet, if we partner with their intelligence, we might stand a chance. If you're an apocalyptic thinker like me, or just a pessimist, you might find this book heartening.


Many great mushroom growing kits and strange gifts at Paul Stamets mail order company, Funghi Perfecti.