From classic to contemporary literature, and even written into law, fungi and their fruiting bodies have grown victim to a pretty bad rep. Mushrooms are notorious for their connotations of decay and rottenness, even poison, madness and death. In Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland, the titular protagonist increases in size upon consuming a particular mushroom. The playful, psychedelic sense of whimsy in Wonderland doubles as deep symbolism for society’s fear of the unknown – the fear which arises when faced with the Russian roulette of our fungal kingdom.
Metaphors aside, mushrooms have penetrated pop culture since the psilocybin-infused landscape of sixties America. ‘Magic’ mushrooms, of which there are over 200 species, polarised society’s relationship with the stuff. While many were hung up on the Pscilocybe genus’ psycho-spiritual healing properties, others demonised its hallucinogenic effects. Shrooms were eventually classified as a Schedule 1 controlled substance, under the Controlled Substances Act 1970.
In recent years, however, mushrooms’ medicinal capacity has re-emerged in scientific research. Psychoactive species are known for inducing a ‘trip’ which, while often exploited for a recreational high, can be incredibly grounding. Anecdotal evidence suggests that tripping on shrooms enables one to come face-to-face with past traumas, repressed emotions, fears, dreams, and the true nature of existence. Studies by John Hopkins Medicine researchers have even proven psilocybin to be an effective treatment for major depressive disorder when taken once annually. This fungal component is also being researched further in relation to its therapeutic potential for other disorders like OCD and anorexia. It is not so much about getting high but rather coming back down with a new perspective.
Moving onto the legal species, it is in fact fungi which gave rise (quite literally) to the bread-baking and beer-brewing industries on account of yeast extract. Mushrooms are once again pioneering new paths in food science with Fusarium venenatum starring as the key component of Mycoprotein – a plant-based alternative to meat used by producers like Quorn. For consumption in their own right, mushrooms are prime candidates for more sustainable systems like urban, indoor and vertical farming. This is because mushrooms can be cultivated just about anywhere, in high quantities using low-impact practices.
Fungi is shaping a space of its own in materials science too, along with a multitude of novel materials. Mycelium, or root networks, can be used to produce a flexible, water-resistant, and compostable textile for applications in the fashion industry. This is via a process of biofabrication – a more environmentally sustainable alternative to the water-intensive production of cotton, or the highly polluting manufacturing of polyester. Signs of the mushroom revolution are popping up in contemporary fashion from Adidas’ Stan Smith MyloTM to Stella McCartney’s Frayme MyloTM.
Not only are fungi our future, they could even aid us in clearing up the messes of our past. According to Merlin Sheldrake’s Entangled Life, fungi can actually break down commercial polyurethane plastics as well as clean up oil spills. While I don’t think it is wise to rely on technology to save us, and degrowth and decoupling from the fossil fuel economy is the way to go, this remains a fascinating proposal and leads one to wonder about the other uncharted abilities of life underground.
Fungi may be ruthless decomposers, but – paradoxically – are the building blocks of life. In fact, it was purely through mycorrhizal symbiosis (tree-mushroom relationships), that life on earth exists today. If it weren’t for our fungal friends, biospheric life never would have crawled out of the sea 500 million years ago. Since then, mushrooms have blessed our species with antibiotic and antiviral treatments, namely penicillin, as well as treatments for colony collapse disorder. Without fungi, flora and fauna would cease to exist. Considering, I think it’s time we stop painting mushrooms out to be antagonists, and rather praise the mycelial kingdom which sustains the life of both me, and you.
Sapphic Space 
Leave a comment