Mushroom Revival Podcast

We kick off the first episode of season two with a deep dive into Functional Mushrooms with Alex Dorr The evolution of fungi on planet earth The development of functional compounds as defense mechanisms Co evolution of humans and mushrooms Alex Dorr’s introduction to mushrooms The History of Mushroom Revival’s Organic Cordyceps militaris farm  A rundown of 10 famous functional mushrooms everyone s...

Mushroom Revival Podcast is saying farewell to our beloved co-host, Lera Niemackl. Nearly three years running, our show has evolved and blossomed in ways we did not think possible when we launched. Season 2 will still have the host and founder of Mushroom Revival that we know and love, Alex Dorr. As we transition to this new era in podcasting, episode frequencies will fluctuate as we figure out ho...

Burn sites create unlikely food for today’s fungal topic: pyrophilous— or fire-loving, fungi. Today on the show we welcome Dr. Monika Fischer, who has been studying fungi that thrive in post-fire ecosystems. We discuss how wildfires change ecosystems, the roles that fungi play in their recovery and protection, and how scientists go about studying them. Topics Covered: What makes a fungus a fire-ad...

Fungi have a microbiome. Bacteria live in and on fungi, and their presence has been shown to be impressively influential on the ecology as a whole. Their co-evolution has shaped the trophs, genetics, metabolisms, vitality and more within these two kingdoms of life. Be prepared to reimagine fungal vigor and success as a communal effort.  Today we welcome the eloquent and brilliant Dr. Jessie Uehlin...

We owe homage to the East, especially China, for our knowledge in the mushroom space. Today on the show we are meeting with a fellow cultivator from Forij Mushrooms, Jennifer Dou. Jennifer has extensive experience with cell culture and is first generation Chinese American, where fungi played a potent role in daily life. Now a lead mycologist for a company called Forij Mushrooms, Jennifer's ba...

Today we have a holiday special. Is the true spirit of Christmas a mushroom? Today's special edition holiday episode is all about Amanita Muscaria and it's profound interweaving with the Sami people of Lapland. We are joined by our friend Eric Puro from Finland to ruminate on how the mushroom may have influenced many of our hallmark Christmas traditions. . Eric Puro is an outdoor log mus...

Valentina & Gordon Wasson had a major influence on western mushroom culture. The Russian-born mycophile married the then mycophobic Gordon Wasson, a theme which quickly spun into a mutual passion for all things fungal. This important and delightful story was put into an illustrated book by the talented Brian Blomerth under the title Mycelium Wassonii . Today on the show, we discuss the story a...

Mycology, called a neglected mega-science, is gaining momentum with public interest. We are here to provide a stepping stone for beginners with our Mycology 101 episode. This is a quick and comprehensive episode on the basics of mushrooms and fungi. Topics Covered: Vocabulary basics The life cycle of fungi Where fungi are found and their roles in the ecosystem Evolutionary history of fungi The big...

Mycorrhizal networks function like a market economy. There is a system of exchanging  things of value in underground mycelial networks.. We are very honored to welcome with the brilliant and eloquent Toby Kiers, who has pioneered  so much to our collective understanding of how mycorrhizal market economies work.  Topics Covered: What is a market economy and how does it work in underground networks?...

Smell that? Could be a fungus. Aroma is everywhere, and much of that comes from microorganisms. Pheromones, toxins, attractants, hormones… chemicals are the language of fungi. Today we are joined by a mycologist and artist to discuss the olfactory world of fungi and how it is experienced by human beings. With an extensive array of scents, fungal fragrances inspired the first mushroom smell wheel c...

New things are happening at MR! New products, reformed website, and customization features. Tune in to hear about the journey of making these products come to life and all about the final formulas. In addition to these long awaited announcements, hear some personal updates from our hosts Alex and Lera to stay connected to their latest shenanigans. Show notes: Mushroom Revival Capsules: https://www...

Some fungi eat plastic. Could this be a solution to plastic waste?  While plastic-eating fungi offer a compelling approach to plastic pollution, there is more to the story.  On today’s show, we are addressing a long awaited topic on the interaction between fungi and plastic materials. From mycoremediation and degradation, microplastics, polymer science and ecological observations. We welcome not j...

Encore episode! In honor of spooky season, we bring you a compilation of freaky fungus facts. We talk fungal decay, fungal poisons, fungi that never seem to die, bizarre biochemistry, how fungi are taking over the world, and more. Tune in, shroom in, and get into the spirit of Halloween with our special edition SPoOkY mUsHroOms episode! Show Notes: Death Cap: Amanita phalloides: https://en.wikiped...

How can we apply mycorrhizal fungi? Today’s topic of applied mycology is a deep dive into the plant's point of view on mycorrhizal relationships. We are joined by plant physiologist and mycologist Dr. Jozsef Racsko, who is a lead scientist at Mycorrhizal Applications — a company bringing mycorrhizal inoculum to industrial agriculture and home gardens alike.  Topics Covered: Mechanisms of myco...

Darren Le Baron, aka Darren Springer, joins us  to talk about his work in psychedelic education around the globe. We ran into his glowing presence at Telluride Mushroom Fest, in the midst of his spore-spreading travels. Specifically, Darren teaches permaculture, mushroom cultivation,  mycology, and Pan-African history of mushrooms & other psychedelics. We discuss his nomadic education and rese...

Researchers at Hyasynth Bio are using fungi to brew cannabinoids such as CBD and THC. Using a method called biosynthesis, the Montreal-based team has engineered brewers yeast to manufacture cannabinoids within their cells. This methods results in compound with a level of potency and purity not previously seen in the cannabis industry.  Today we have the pleasure of speaking with  co-founder and me...

Mycorrhizal fungi are critical to life on Earth. They have symbiotic relationships with surrounding plant life and are vital for the growth and health of forests. Today we are joined by Dr. Suzanne Simard, one most influential researchers on these fungi. Suzanne has largely contributed to the scientific acknowledgment to mycorrhizal ecology, as well as creating awareness about their critical role...

Today’s show is all about spalting fungi and its unique mycology. This time, we are joined by THE expert, Dr. Seri Robinson, who has been studying the phenomena for over a decade. Aside from spalting’s unique mycology, we discuss the auspicious applications of these fungi and their metabolites.  Seri is an artist and Professor of wood anatomy at Oregon State University. They were introduced to spa...

We are joined by Mycologist Neil Gow who has formal training in mycology, especially in relation to infectious fungi. On today's show, we look at fungi through the lens of pathogenic interactions with humans. Which fungi are most likely to cause a human zombie apocalypse? What happens when you inject psilocybin tea into your veins?  Although his research is on combating fungal infections, Nei...

A lot is to blame for the climate crisis, one of the most dire being our excessive meat consumption. A possible solution? Fungi.  For animal agriculture to keep up with the demand, we are compensating for safety, animal welfare, and sustainable practices that are emitting methane and nitrous oxide into the atmosphere. Even deforestation is an impact of global demand for meat and other animal produ...

Today we are joined by Micahel Beug, a legendary professor and scientist from Evergreen State College. Micheal mentored a handful of the today’s great mycologists such as Paul Stamets, Jonathan Ott and Jeremy Bigwood. With a PhD in organic chemistry and a love for mushrooms, Michael’s expertise was and continues to be instrumental for the growth of mycology as a whole. After just publishing a fiel...

All bodies are beautiful. All healthy lifestyle changes are beautiful. And for those who choose to pursue a goal of losing weight for the right reasons, there is a new ingredient showing promising results — psilocybin.  While known for mental and spiritual support, psilocybin’s benefit can transcend into the physical realm by way of mental health, as well as biophysically. We discuss the mental re...

Spalted wood is beautiful. It’s a form of rotting, and it’s caused by fungi. Spalting comes in many forms: patterns, colors, textures. Until this century, the biology of spalting wasn’t well understood, and even less so any methods to produce it in a laboratory setting. We are once again joined by Javier Ribera, a wood materials scientist and mycologist from EMPA to discuss new research on spalted...

Hear that...? Fungal violins have entered the music scene. This technology, known as Mycowood, uses fungi to partially degrade wood used to make violins; and it results in superior acoustics. We are joined by the scientist behind these innovative fungal projects, Dr. Javier Ribera, who is a materials scientist at EMPA with specialties in cellulose and wood materials. Javier walks us through the cr...

Modern farming practices are destroying vital soil ecologies, and our patch work solutions aren’t making things any better. Today we are joined by Dr. Elaine Ingham, a leading soil ecologist who has established the Soil Food Web School, a platform that teaches people how to optimize their growing operation and advocates the return to greener practices.  We discuss how we can repair the land using...