Recently, Merlin Sheldrake, the author of the book Entangled Life, is trying to educate people about fungi. With enough information, humans can utilize fungi to stop global warming.
Five hundred million years ago, when the atmosphere was quite polluted with carbon dioxide, and plants depended on fungi to survive. Now, humans have added to the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Scientists are hoping that the fungi that saved plants five hundred million years ago can save humans by bringing down carbon dioxide levels.
Sheldrake says that fungi are “ecosystem engineers;” we ignore them and their vital work to us “at our peril.” Fungi are not in the same kingdom as plants. Instead, fungi are more related to animals. Sheldrake says, “unlike plants which make their own food by eating light and carbon dioxide … fungi have to find food in the world ready-made and digest it as we [humans] do too.” (“Biologist Merlin Sheldrake says without fungi, ‘there would be no land …”)
Someone talked with Sheldrake about fungi: “There has been such an explosion of interest in fungi recently, and I am wondering how you understand that, or why you think that has come about. Certainly, your book is a big part of that,” they said. “There are a few reasons. One is that we know more about fungi than we used to — technological developments over the last couple of decades have led to exciting discoveries and have granted new access to fungal lives,” said Sheldrake. (“Can fungal networks help save our existence? – The New York Times …”)
Sheldrake has had a curiosity for fungi since he was five. As a teenager, he grew mushrooms and concocted mixtures from bog myrtle. When he studied at Cambridge University, he scoured apples in the university’s botanic gardens to make yeast-flavored cider. “”Some likened the flavour [of the apples] to Newton’s character in his later life.” (“Biologist Merlin Sheldrake says without fungi, ‘there would be no land …”) No one was going to eat the apples,” he said.
Fungi can do a lot more than eat rocks, make soil, and digest pollutants. They can also change animal and insect behavior. For example, a fungus called massospora is infecting cicadas. Sheldrake explains, “The fungus grows inside the cicadas and causes the backside of their bodies to disintegrate. It pilots their flight, and meanwhile [it is] dropping spores out of their broken back ends.” (“Biologist Merlin Sheldrake says without fungi, ‘there would be no land …”) Scientists hope to use the fungus for pharmaceutical drugs.
Scientists investigated the bodies of infected cicadas. They found that the fungus was producing both an amphetamine, which is a type of plant, and psilocybin, which is a naturally occurring psychedelic prodrug. While they concluded that the fungus was able to use these chemicals to manipulate the cicadas, researchers are still unsure how.
Sophie Kesteven and Michael Mackenzie, authors of an article published in ABC News, write “Sheldrake says there is a lack of research into fungi, despite more than 90 percent of plants depending on the micro-organisms to help them extract nutrients. So, he is determined to play his part.” Sheldrake also works with an organization called the Society for Protection of Underground Networks. The team aims to map out the fungi’s networks to improve the ability of carbon-storing in certain fungi.
“The world that we see and the world that we live within wouldn’t exist without fungi,” Sheldrake concludes.
Sources:
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-12-01/merlin-sheldrake-entangled-life-fungi/100649456
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/24/climate/fungi-merlin-sheldrake-climate-change.html
Five hundred million years ago, when the atmosphere was quite polluted with carbon dioxide, and plants depended on fungi to survive. Now, humans have added to the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Scientists are hoping that the fungi that saved plants five hundred million years ago can save humans by bringing down carbon dioxide levels.
Sheldrake says that fungi are “ecosystem engineers;” we ignore them and their vital work to us “at our peril.” Fungi are not in the same kingdom as plants. Instead, fungi are more related to animals. Sheldrake says, “unlike plants which make their own food by eating light and carbon dioxide … fungi have to find food in the world ready-made and digest it as we [humans] do too.” (“Biologist Merlin Sheldrake says without fungi, ‘there would be no land …”)
Someone talked with Sheldrake about fungi: “There has been such an explosion of interest in fungi recently, and I am wondering how you understand that, or why you think that has come about. Certainly, your book is a big part of that,” they said. “There are a few reasons. One is that we know more about fungi than we used to — technological developments over the last couple of decades have led to exciting discoveries and have granted new access to fungal lives,” said Sheldrake. (“Can fungal networks help save our existence? – The New York Times …”)
Sheldrake has had a curiosity for fungi since he was five. As a teenager, he grew mushrooms and concocted mixtures from bog myrtle. When he studied at Cambridge University, he scoured apples in the university’s botanic gardens to make yeast-flavored cider. “”Some likened the flavour [of the apples] to Newton’s character in his later life.” (“Biologist Merlin Sheldrake says without fungi, ‘there would be no land …”) No one was going to eat the apples,” he said.
Fungi can do a lot more than eat rocks, make soil, and digest pollutants. They can also change animal and insect behavior. For example, a fungus called massospora is infecting cicadas. Sheldrake explains, “The fungus grows inside the cicadas and causes the backside of their bodies to disintegrate. It pilots their flight, and meanwhile [it is] dropping spores out of their broken back ends.” (“Biologist Merlin Sheldrake says without fungi, ‘there would be no land …”) Scientists hope to use the fungus for pharmaceutical drugs.
Scientists investigated the bodies of infected cicadas. They found that the fungus was producing both an amphetamine, which is a type of plant, and psilocybin, which is a naturally occurring psychedelic prodrug. While they concluded that the fungus was able to use these chemicals to manipulate the cicadas, researchers are still unsure how.
Sophie Kesteven and Michael Mackenzie, authors of an article published in ABC News, write “Sheldrake says there is a lack of research into fungi, despite more than 90 percent of plants depending on the micro-organisms to help them extract nutrients. So, he is determined to play his part.” Sheldrake also works with an organization called the Society for Protection of Underground Networks. The team aims to map out the fungi’s networks to improve the ability of carbon-storing in certain fungi.
“The world that we see and the world that we live within wouldn’t exist without fungi,” Sheldrake concludes.
Sources:
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-12-01/merlin-sheldrake-entangled-life-fungi/100649456
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/24/climate/fungi-merlin-sheldrake-climate-change.html
