You Didn’t Know Mushrooms Could Do All This | National Geographic

You probably didn't know mushrooms could be used to construct buildings and cure diseases. Mushrooms are being tested in innovative and imaginative ways to help society. Engineers, medical researchers, and designers are utilizing the natural abilities of various fungi for antibiotics, building materials, water filtration, toxic waste cleanup, pest abatement, textiles, and other purposes.

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There are now many champions of fungi. Tradd Cotter is one of the most vocal. A mycologist and microbiologist, Cotter owns Mushroom Mountain, a research facility in South Carolina that focuses on testing potential applications for fungi. Describing how to train fungi on "gladiator plates," Cotter explains that many fungi are so good at surviving that they are able to adapt in order to feed on otherwise toxic or non-biodegradable materials such as oil or plastics. The process is known as mycoremediation, taking in toxic compounds and reducing them to harmless ones. Mycoremediation has been sought after for for oil cleanups and expedited composting. What's more, the mushrooms that bloom from these cleanups are still a safe food source.

Other collaborations include working with fungi to create portable, lightweight, sustainable products for disaster relief and developing countries. Mushroom bricks are being tested as a building material that uses water as an adhesive agent. The blocks have been tested for durability, flame retardancy, strength, and flexibility. In disaster relief packages, other mushrooms may be used to attract and trap disease-carrying mosquitoes.

Mushroom Mountain and Clemson University are investigating medicinal uses as well—going so far as to create what could be a "pharmacy in a bag." The theory is that by harnessing certain fungi's ability to take in bacteria such as E. coli, researchers could train the fungi to sweat out metabolites that could combat an infection within 24 to 48 hours. Ideas continue to be tested, and those working with fungi are confident in the infinite possibilities for the versatile mushroom to solve modern problems.

Watch: Glow-in-the-Dark Mushrooms: Nature’s Night Lights

PRODUCER/CAMERA/EDIT Gabriella Garcia-Pardo
ANIMATION Jennifer Smart
ADDITIONAL FOOTAGE Shanon Sanders and Getty Images
MUSIC Tiny Music, Setuniman, Olive Musique, and Allegory Music
SPECIAL THANKS Alex Wenchel

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Medical Illustration

You Didn’t Know Mushrooms Could Do All This | National Geographic

National Geographic

[laiajune]

Mushrooms did wonders in my life. I was diagnosed with cptsd since my teenage, spent my whole life fighting cptsd. Also suffered severe depression and mental disorder. Not until my wife recommended me to psilocybin mushrooms treatment. Psilocybin treatment saved my life honestly. 8 years totally clean. This is something that really need to be use globally to help people with similar health challenges.

[kurtiskill]

Wow. When I was a younger I was super interested in mushrooms, I always had this idea that since mushroom species are so vast and different that they could all be super useful for everything. But I never got a reason to pursue my interest because I never heard anything about them. Well here we are, proving my 13 year-old self right.

[YundaGregg]

Psilocybin DMT, mushrooms and psychedelics, as a whole, have shown substantial promise as beneficial agents that can truly aid individuals grappling with mental health difficulties.

[creativeusername]

there used to be giant fungi forests. imagine building stuff out of that

[theylied]

This is why I wanted to be a scientist as a kid.

[billiamc]

Sadly, the Petro-chemical and Pharma industry will keep mushroom research under funded...

[Heisenberg-]

Psychedelics are just an amazing discovery. It's quite fascinating how effective they are for depression and stress..saved my life.

[n.k]

The experience I got from taking shrooms as a whole was spectacular, I felt completely supported.

[leannasmith]

Psychedelic definently have potential to deal with mental health symptoms like depression and anxiety, I'd like to try them but it's just hard to source here. Hope you can help.

[sebinfrancis]

In southern India (Western Ghats) we used to eat some varieties of edible termitomyces fungus mushrooms which grows during every monsoon season at specific spots in our lands where there is a termite colony nearby. These mushrooms grow out of soil mostly after the first heavy rain (with severe thunder and lighting) after summer. Our ancestors says 'the thunder wakes up the mushrooms from the termite colony'. We used to eat them for centuries and most people can identify which are edible and which are not (by passed knowledge from generations), yet we have no way to cultivate them on our own. Only termites can do that.

[carolinadelaossa]

Jesus I wish I could tell which are edible mushrooms in places. I love eating mushrooms, grilled with butter and thyme omg

[ninja]

Endless opportunities and infinite potential was presented to the audience...
Everyone just can't get their minds off of "Fun-jai"...

Yep, I'm definitely in youtube...

[mujkocka]

if i won the big lotto, i would dedicate most of it to fungi research. mushrooms are just so cool

[rubenscott]

So wizards and witches are real just a few plants makes magic powders

[crespoopserc]

Can you just imagine what his daughter will know after learning from dad?

[JessicaGilberts]

There’s a lot of potential in psychedelics, I can’t wait to try any of them mushrooms specifically but it’s just so hard to find a reliable source over here, I’ll be glad if anyone can be of help

[stargonaut]

Me and my dad would pick morels all the time when I was younger, after you taste morels nothing you eat will ever seem comparable

[mercer]

Upvote just for watching the mushrooms grow using time-lapse.

[odentenzin]

I've heard so many wonderful things about magic mushrooms but I can't easily get some, Is there any realiable source I can purchase from??

[jamesbond]

Mushroom walks into a bar, and orders a drink. Bartender says "Sorry we don't serve your type here". Mushroom responds "Why not? I'm a fun-gi"