3. The Inner Lives of Fungi - Expeditions, Advocacy and Poetics

6 snips

Aug 16, 2022

Guest

Sophie Strand

Guest

Giuliana Furci

Giuliana Furci, Chile’s first female mycologist and founder of the Fungi Foundation, and poet Sophie Strand, known for her work on ecology and mycelium, discuss the vital yet underappreciated role of fungi in ecosystems. They dive into thrilling topics like advocating for fungi's legal recognition, the joys of fungal expeditions, and the interconnectedness of life. Their conversation covers everything from fermentation and deviant animal behavior to ethical engagement with nature and cultivating kinship with non-human beings, highlighting the wisdom fungi offer us.

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INSIGHT

Fungi Lifestyle

Fungi are diverse organisms belonging to a kingdom of life, ranging from yeast to mushrooms.
They live inside their food source and are always connected to other organisms, either through symbiosis or decomposition.

ANECDOTE

Fungi in Daily Life

Everyday products like laundry detergent, copper, and various foods utilize fungi.
Without fungi, chocolate, coffee, bread, tea, wine, and beer wouldn't exist.

INSIGHT

Fungi Conservation

Less than 1% of global conservation efforts focus on fungi, despite their crucial ecological role.
The lack of advocacy for fungi before the Fungi Foundation contributed to this neglect.

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With Giuliana Furci & Sophie Strand.

Oh, the fungi! Without them we’d have no plants, no trees, no chocolate, no beer, yogurt, baked bread – all the good things! Yet despite their burgeoning popularity, science has barely scratched the surface of mapping and understanding the hidden world of fungi.

The more we learn, the more these ecosystem architects warp our minds of what we think is possible. They digest toxic radiochemical waste. Their mycelium networks with plant roots are the planet’s ecological stock exchanges. They stitch together ecosystems, sequester carbon, drive global nutrient cycles and underpin the world’s biodiversity. The entire way this kingdom of life sees and lives, its experienced lifeworld, is so entirely different to anything else on this planet.

Today we hear from two very distinct voices who speak on behalf of fungi. Giuliana Furci is the founder of the Fungi Foundation, the world’s first association that works on behalf of fungi, and Chile’s first female mycologist. Giuliana is a Harvard University Associate, Dame of the Order of the Star of Italy, and Co-Chair of the IUCN Fungal Conservation Committee.

Sophie Strand is one of the most brilliant rising writers on everything ranging from ecology, myth, mycelium and animism. With Sophie we traverse the terrain of fungal fermentation, compost heaps, deviant animal sex (yes you read that correctly), living with disability, Jesus, and fungal gods. It’s a good one.

Episode Website Link: lifeworld.earth/episodes/the-inner-lives-of-fungi

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Look out for meditations, poems, readings, and other snippets of inspiration in between episodes.

Photo Credit: Steven Axford

Music: Electric Ethnicity by Igor Dvorkin, Duncan Pittock, Ellie Kidd & The Rising by Tryad CCPL

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