The Time Is Now

Humans have dominated vast majorities of the Earths numerous ecosystems, destroying them and using the resources for their own singular usage. This system has birthed countless opportunities for people to prosper, however it leaves massive amount of waste, and destruction in its wake. This system of mass-produced garbage is not a sustainable one. It is liable to come toppling down at any moment. People need to begin addressing these problems immediately, to avoid mass consequences. These changes need to be done on group and individual levels.

Every year more and more harmful substances are dumped into nature, violating every landscape and ecosystem. These carcinogens devastate all walks of life. This process has been going on for decades. Each year millions of tons of plastic are thrown away in landfills and waterways. In these places it remains due to its lack of biodegradability, which alone causes countless problems. Millions of gallons of harmful chemical compounds are poured into the ground. These compounds then seep through the soil, tarnishing all the nutrients as it runs of into nearby bodies of water, spreading more ecological chaos. Here the chemicals, combined with the soiled nutrients pulled from the ground, poison the waters ecosystem rendering it unfit to support the life which once inhabited it. Farmers from every country use deadly pesticides to try and protect their crops from insects. Yet these harmful compounds carry many unintended side effects. They have devastated the Earths bee population. Bees are incredibly important to preserving many aspects in nature. One example of something they do, which is essential, is mass pollenization. A process all vegetation relies on. These pesticides also lead to the evolution of super bugs which are immune to its ill effects, these bugs then require stronger chemicals. The residue left on the foods can cause unwanted health problems in the people consuming the food. Just like other harmful chemicals, the residue of the pesticide seeps into nearby soil and water sheds. This renders the soil no longer useful for the farmers, and drastically decreases the quality of the water.

These man-made problems occurring across the world cannot simple be highlighted, but they need to be addressed head on. People need to take responsibility and take immediate action. It’s vital that the actions taken are swift and decisive, that way the benefits from the changes will be instantly recognizable, showing people it is practical and possible. The right action, the one with the most positive consequences, will be for humans to usher in a societal symbiosis between people and fungi. We need to return to a state, once inhabited by primitive men, in which fungus is utilized by humans as one of their most effective technologies. Fungus has the potential to return the Earth to a state of natural balance, no longer chocked by the waste left behind by man.

Ancient people understood the importance of fungi as a tool. It was so revered and respected across many cultures from around the world. It was so essential to their lives it was often placed at the middle of spiritual ceremonies. Mushrooms served people as one of the most common sources of medicine, nutrition, and even spiritual insight. It was utilized frequently as a physical tool. For example, mushrooms are the tools in which enabled ancient hominids to carry fire into Europe and other cold places of Earth. The same mushrooms were used late by Europeans to develop the first gunpowder firearms. Utilizing the slow burning fuse made from mushrooms they could ignite flint lock rifles, cannons, and pistols. Mushrooms even could have saved at least thirty percent of the populations indigenous to the Americas. This large portion of the population was killed by the introduction and spread of the smallpox virus, which arrived with the Europeans. These tragic deaths could have been entirely avoidable with the usage of Agarikon mushrooms. These strains have unprecedented antiviral properties, particularly against forms of pox viruses. And they were commonly utilized by virtually all Native American societies. Had their shamans of the time realized the medicinal power of this mushroom in fighting these specific diseases the outcomes may have been different for their people. Modern humans need to learn from the past, to avoid similar fates.

It is not enough for modern people to simply use fungus as another tool. Rather society has to take more comprehensive steps toward consciously integrating and fostering ongoing relationships with the fungus. These relationships should be mutual between the two groups in order to maximize continual sustainability through a balanced give and take. At the moment nations across the world, particularly the United States of America, are not doing nearly enough to produce this needed bond. The majority of work is pooled around Universities which rely on government funding. However, the problem is too urgent, and the government needs to do more than just support these laboratories. Rather they need to develop the specific mycological departments today. These theoretical departments would help to usher in societal changes necessary for fostering human fungi symbiosis.

There needs to be a re-ignition of the close relationship between man and fungi, moving in this direction would help humans return to their roots, while helping the world recover. Humans, and all animals are descendants of fungi. It was recently established that the animalia and fungi kingdoms are actually conjoined by the super-kingdom known as Opisthokonta. Therefore, we fight against all the same natural pathogens as fungi. However, due to their lack of mobility fungi must face these advisories head on. As a result, they have evolved to become the most efficient forces at fighting these pathogens. Due to this, mushrooms are our most valuable resource in forming antibiotics. But humans and fungi are even more similar than this. The way fungi develop is entirely external. It grows out fingers of mycelium which reach out into the environment and then cast out multiple overlapping layers of membranes. These membrane nets have multiple duties. They serve as a micro filtration system enabling the fungi to inhale oxygen and exhale carbon dioxide, just as human’s breath. These net membranes form into a type of external lungs. In a similar way they double as digestive tracks, functioning as an external stomach. It has even been speculated by mycologists that these complex membranes may serve neurological purposes, forming a type of external brain. It is a fact that fungi are sentient, responding to external and internal stimuli. Its hypothesized that the neurological membranes are utilized to intelligently design microbiomes. This is speculated to be done through deliberately formed cavities in the membranes “in these cavities, these micro-cavities form, and as they fuse soils, they absorb water. These are little wells. And inside these wells, then microbial communities begin to form. And so, the spongy soil not only resists erosion, but sets up a microbial universe that gives rise to a plurality of other organisms. “The fungi then dictates which microorganisms will be allowed to inhabit each cavity.

The current closest thing to the desired department of mycology would be the Mycology and Nematology Genetic Diversity and Biology Laboratory. This is a subdivision of the United States Department of Agriculture. Another example of a mycological state ran department from around the world is the Department of Forest Mycology and Plant Pathology in Sweden. Neither of these programs have the support or resources they deserve or require.

Luckily private organizations have been making the moves government should be. They have been leading the fight in developing cutting edge mycological technologies. Fungi Perfecti is the paradigm example of one of these groups. It is led by its founder, and world class mycologist Dr. Paul Stamets. Dr. Stamets is single handedly responsible for numerous fungal breakthroughs, consisting of twenty-two individual patents for developed fungal technology. Dr. Stamets has even been named as an ambassador to the American Association for the Advancement of Science, in virtue of this he has gone on tour across the nation informing people on the importance of developing a symbiotic relationship with fungus. He dives into his avocation from dozens of different angles and approaches. He believes mycological technology can be most helpful to restoring the Earth by; Replenishing soil, cleaning up potent chemical waste, and eliminating harmful pesticides.

Soil and fungi go hand and hand, you cannot have soil without the fungi. In fact fungi is the very thing which created healthy soil. Mycelium is natures most powerful decomposing force, its decomposing properties have been utilized by fungus to break down solid rocks and yank there most basic properties out of them in order for it to be re-purposed into nutrients and minerals. Fungi were the very first organisms to make their way onto land, this jump happened almost a billion and a half years ago. After this took place and the mycelium took root deep into the Earths layers it allowed for plants to emerge onto land. The arrival of plants occurred seven million years after the initial fungi inhabited dry land. Within a single cubic inch of healthy soil there can be eight miles worth of mycelium strands. Thirty percent of healthy soil is made up of fungus, both living and dead. From the dawn of plants existence they have been in a mutual relationship with fungi. The mycelium in the soil surrounds a plants roots. It serves as the nutrient mediator between roots and soil. Transferring necessary nutrients from one to the other. At the same time it is replenishing the soil of nutrients which had been taken away to feed the plants.

A bulk of the Earths soil has become useless, poisoned by chemicals which have bled from countless sources. Adding extra fungi to these mixes can easily help restore the soil to its once nutritious state by decomposing the carcinogens. These carcinogens include petroleum-based waste as well, which is near impossible to get rid of in a sustainable way. In an experiment done by Battelle Laboratories there were four waste piles being observed. The waste piles had been completely contaminated with diesel and other gas-based wastes. Three conventional methods were applied to the first three piles, each one different and each being the best options available. The fourth pile was treated using fungus to decompose the waste. After being treated with each method the piles were left covered for the next six weeks. When the researchers returned three of the piles had remained “dead, dark and stinky,” however the fourth pile, treated with fungi was not.

The fourth pile had done the complete opposite, it was thriving, it had even begun to sprout pounds of oyster mushrooms. Changing the color of the pile from dark to light as its “enzymes re-manufacture the hydrocarbons into carbohydrates – fungal sugars.” All four of the piles were then recovered and left alone. A few weeks later they were reexamined. The first three had still remained just as “dead, dark, and stinky.” However, the fourth pile continued to show signs of further advanced development. The large mushrooms had begun to sporulate, which attracted insects. These bugs then laid their eggs on the pile, which developed into larvae. The larvae attracted birds which brought with them seeds. The seeds were then able to take root in the once hopeless heap. Then in no time the poisonous pile had turned into “an oasis of life.” In just eight weeks the aromatic hydrocarbons changed from 10,000 parts per million to less than 200. Compared to the alternatives, this is nothing short of a miracle. This illustrates fungi’s ability to act as a gateway for life, being able to reinvigorate matter which was assumed to be permanently damage. This is absolutely incredible.

One of the leading causes of chemicals ruining soil and ground water originate in chemical-based pesticides. However, these can be entirely phased out through the use of entomopathogenic fungi. These are fungi which have evolved specifically to kill insects. Previously these types of fungi were not available for usage as pesticides. This was due to the insects evolving alongside the fungus, this allowed them to develop mechanisms to recognize lethal fungi strains and avoid their harmful spores. But it was recently discovered that these mushrooms attract the very bugs which they have been developed to kill, however the bug can sense the danger via recognizing the mushrooms spores. Dr. Stamets has developed a method for manipulating the fungi so that it does not develop its initial spores, which scare the insects away. As a result of not having the starting spores the bugs are attracted to the mushrooms, consuming them and infecting their bodies with the deadly fungi. The fungi then kill the insect and grows a mushroom out of its corpse. This mushroom is able to sporulate, casting out a wide net of spores. These spores then serve to permanently ward off the surrounding location from the very insects it previously killed. Creating a swift, decisive, and permanent solution to these pests. These fungal based pesticides have no ill effect on humans and would be critical at ending the worlds reliance on chemical-based formulas.

It is imperative that humans begin to make actual decisive actions toward stopping ecological disaster and climate change. It’s not enough for us to cut back on our usage of these harmful cocktails. We must revolutionize modern society, make it utterly inclusive to mycology, bringing it to the forefront of technology.

Works Cited:

Mycology and Nematology Genetic Diversity and Biology Laboratory : USDA ARS, www.ars.usda.gov/northeast-area/beltsville-md-barc/beltsville-agricultural-research-center/mycology-and-nematology-genetic-diversity-and-biology-laboratory/.

Broyles, Robyn. “Animal, Plant, and Fungi Phylogeny: A Surprising Relationship in Eukaryota Phylogeny.” Bright Hub Education, 10 Sept. 2008, www.brighthubeducation.com/science-homework-help/8061-relationship-between-animal-plant-and-fungi-phylogeny/.

“HistoryLink.org.” Smallpox Epidemic Ravages Native Americans on the Northwest Coast of North America in the 1770s. - HistoryLink.org, www.historylink.org/File/5100.

“Role of Soil Fungus.” Role of Soil Fungus, 7 June 2016, ohioline.osu.edu/factsheet/anr-37.

Stamets, Paul. “Paul Stamets.” TED, www.ted.com/speakers/paul_stamets.

Stamets, Paul. “Transcript of ‘6 Ways Mushrooms Can Save the World.’” TED, www.ted.com/talks/paul_stamets_on_6_ways_mushrooms_can_save_the_world/transcript?Mushrooms can save the world&utm_campaign=tedspread&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=tedcomshare#t-489359.

Stamets, Paul. Mycelium Running: How Mushrooms Can Help Save the World. Ten Speed Press, 2005.

“The History of the Department of Forest Mycology and Plant Pathology.” SLU.SE, www.slu.se/en/departments/forest-mycology-plantpathology/about-us/about-the-department/.