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 spalted woods through wood working, quickly discovering the lack of information about the phenomena, and therefore pioneering a new subfield of science.Topics Covered:A look into Dr. Seri Robinson’s life as an artist and scientist, and their unconventional path to studying spalted woodsThe history and urban legends of spalted woodDefining spalted wood and spalting fungiSpecific environmental conditions for spalting fungiHow to spalt wood in the labEcology of fungal pigmentsFunction of fungal pigments, especially fungal melaninDecay stages of fungi and how that affects wood spaltingHow to extract the spalting pigmentChlorociboria’s pigments and it’s impressive applicationsWood anatomy and how fungi are influenced by their substrates Show notes:Spalting Cooperative Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/spaltingNorthern Spatling: https://www.northernspalting.com/Spalted Wood Book: https://www.amazon.com/Spalted-Wood-History-Science-Material/dp/0764350382/ref=pd_lpo_1?pd_rd_i=0764350382&psc=1Spalting 101 Book: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/spalting-101-dr-seri-c-robinson/1137088019?ean=9780764360893Publication on zone line mycology: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0264127521000332Xylindein pigment research: https://today.oregonstate.edu/news/fungi-produced-pigment-shows-promise-semiconductor-materialwww.mushroomrevival.comWe are a functional mushroom company and make 100% certified USDA Organic and Vegan mushroom supplements. We are transparent with our lab results, and use actual fruiting bodies aka mushrooms! We provide our supplements in tincture, capsule, powder, and delicious gummy form. Energy (Cordyceps): Need a little pick-me-up before a workout or when you’re picking up your kids from school? The Energy Cordyceps is the mushy match for you.Focus (Lion’s Mane):  Needing a little more focus in your daily life? Lion’s Mane is known to be the mushroom for the brain and may support cognitive function.Calm (Reishi): Looking for some tranquility and zen in your life? Reishi will bring you into the zen state of mind you’ve been searching for.Daily 10 (Mushroom Mix): It’s like having 10 bodyguard mushrooms fighting off all those bad guys. This is a good place to start as it contains all of the daily mushies you need. Not sure where to begin? Take our mushroom quiz here.Use code ‘PODTREAT’ for a 30% discount.

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, Neil is a big time mycophile with jaw dropping information on this impressive kingdom of life. Topics covered:Common fungal infections in humans The status of research and understanding of pathogenic fungi, esp with humansWhy are fungal infections so hard to treat?What are the mechanisms of fungal infection in humans?Mucormycosis or the "black fungus" outbreaks The pervasiveness of candidaEvolution of drug resistant fungi Case Study: Intravenous Injection of PsilocybinThe morbid question: which fungal species are most likely to cause zombie humans?Forensic mycology and microbiologyPrevalence of fungal productsThe mycobiome and mutualism between human and fungal speciesShow notes:What is this field of Mycology?: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3farm1uFrbINeil Gow's Publications: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Neil-Gow-2The Genus Plague: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/33946360-the-genius-plagueA “Trip” to the ICU: An Intravenous Injection of Psilocybin: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S266729602030015XvECMM: https://www.ecmm.info/fecmm/fellows/gow-neil/WHO Data on Fungal Infections: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/the-top-10-causes-of-deathhttps://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7278517/www.mushroomrevival.comWe are a functional mushroom company and make 100% certified USDA Organic and Vegan mushroom supplements. We are transparent with our lab results, and use actual fruiting bodies aka mushrooms! We provide our supplements in tincture, capsule, powder, and delicious gummy form. Energy (Cordyceps): Need a little pick-me-up before a workout or when you’re picking up your kids from school? The Energy Cordyceps is the mushy match for you.Focus (Lion’s Mane):  Needing a little more focus in your daily life? Lion’s Mane is known to be the mushroom for the brain and may support cognitive function.Calm (Reishi): Looking for some tranquility and zen in your life? Reishi will bring you into the zen state of mind you’ve been searching for.Daily 10 (Mushroom Mix): It’s like having 10 bodyguard mushrooms fighting off all those bad guys. This is a good place to start as it contains all of the daily mushies you need. Not sure where to begin? Take our mushroom quiz here.Use code ‘PODTREAT’ for a 30% discount.

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 products.Thankfully with education and/or commercialization of new fungi and plant based products, we have a real shot at satiating the population’s “meattooth”. Mushrooms are already a trusty meat alternative, and now with biotechnology we can partner with fungi in innovative ways. We are joined by Paul Shapiro, the CEO of The Better Meat Co., where his team is partnering with a neurospora species to quickly ferment a mycoprotein they call Rhiza, which contains more protein than eggs, more iron beef, more fiber than oatmeal, and even contains b12. Topics Covered:Meeting the global demand for meat — at what cost?Practical alternatives to animal products, especially meatsPaul’s recent book on cellular agriculture, or lab-grown meatThe future of our protein source and how our current practices will be rememberedHow to brew mycoproteinFermentation science and nutritional value of mycoproteins, specifically RhizaThe ease, and the challenges, of scaling a mycoproteinShow Notes:The Better Meat Co. : https://www.bettermeat.co/Paul Shapiro Website: https://www.paul-shapiro.com/Paul Shapiro’s Talks: https://www.paul-shapiro.com/speechesClean Meat Book: https://cleanmeat.com/www.mushroomrevival.comWe are a functional mushroom company and make 100% certified USDA Organic and Vegan mushroom supplements. We are transparent with our lab results, and use actual fruiting bodies aka mushrooms! We provide our supplements in tincture, capsule, powder, and delicious gummy form. Energy (Cordyceps): Need a little pick-me-up before a workout or when you’re picking up your kids from school? The Energy Cordyceps is the mushy match for you.Focus (Lion’s Mane):  Needing a little more focus in your daily life? Lion’s Mane is known to be the mushroom for the brain and may support cognitive function.Calm (Reishi): Looking for some tranquility and zen in your life? Reishi will bring you into the zen state of mind you’ve been searching for.Daily 10 (Mushroom Mix): It’s like having 10 bodyguard mushrooms fighting off all those bad guys. This is a good place to start as it contains all of the daily mushies you need. Not sure where to begin? Take our mushroom quiz here.Use code ‘PODTREAT’ for a 30% discount.

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 field guide “Mushrooms of Cascadia: An Illustrated Key”, we are blessed to have this opportunity to talk with Michael. Tune in for some insider info on culture and science of mycology in the western world.Topics Covered:Stories from the mushroom toxicology call listThe development of mycology education at Evergreen State CollegeMichael Beugs recent publication “Mushrooms of Cascadia: An Illustrated Key”Early mycological culture with a renown crew including Paul Stamets, Jeremy Bigwood, Jonathan OttResearching psychotropic fungi at Evergreen: methods, chemistry, bureaucratic, and moreProfessor Beug’s specialty in  biochemistry and enzyme kinetics, and how that supported the mycology research at EvergreenMichael’s work on studying the ecological impacts of DDT, effectively ending the use of DDT in North America!Basics of fungal metabolismThe national effort to define the mycoflora of North AmericaShow Notes:Michael Beug’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mwbeug44/Publication on DDT: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/18165522_Carbonic_Anhydrase_Interaction_with_DDT_DDE_and_DieldrinMushrooms of Cascadia: An Illustrated Key: https://fungi.com/collections/identification-guides/products/mushrooms-of-cascadiaEvergreen College: https://www.evergreen.edu/Fungi Magazine Contributing Author: https://www.fungimag.com/bios/beug.htmwww.mushroomrevival.comWe are a functional mushroom company and make 100% certified USDA Organic and Vegan mushroom supplements. We are transparent with our lab results, and use actual fruiting bodies aka mushrooms! We provide our supplements in tincture, capsule, powder, and delicious gummy form. Energy (Cordyceps): Need a little pick-me-up before a workout or when you’re picking up your kids from school? The Energy Cordyceps is the mushy match for you.Focus (Lion’s Mane):  Needing a little more focus in your daily life? Lion’s Mane is known to be the mushroom for the brain and may support cognitive function.Calm (Reishi): Looking for some tranquility and zen in your life? Reishi will bring you into the zen state of mind you’ve been searching for.Daily 10 (Mushroom Mix): It’s like having 10 bodyguard mushrooms fighting off all those bad guys. This is a good place to start as it contains all of the daily mushies you need. Not sure where to begin? Take our mushroom quiz here.Use code ‘PODTREAT’ for a 30% discount.

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 reframe that can support a weight loss regime and how psilocybin itself has appetite suppressant properties.We are joined by Trevor Miller who is on the board of directors for MAPS (Multidisciplinary association for psychedelic studies) and has been advocating for psychedelic therapies for years. Trevor is now on the advisory board for NeonMind Biosciences, a Canadian company who is involved in some cutting edge research on the topic of psilocybin and weight loss, and the belief that lives change when minds change. Topics Covered:The origin story of NeonMind Biosciences and their novel approaches in psilocybin therapyPsychedelic use among people in the industryPsilocybin’s evolutionary ecologyPsilocybin as an appetite suppressantPsilocybin as a pattern interruptor especially with dietary habitsThe importance of acknowledging toxic stigmas around weight and reminding ourselves it is not bad or wrongShow Notes:Neon Mind Website: https://neonmindbiosciences.com/Canadian Psychedelic Association: https://www.psychedelicassociation.net/Psygen: https://psygen.ca/www.mushroomrevival.comWe are a functional mushroom company and make 100% certified USDA Organic and Vegan mushroom supplements. We are transparent with our lab results, and use actual fruiting bodies aka mushrooms! We provide our supplements in tincture, capsule, powder, and delicious gummy form. Energy (Cordyceps): Need a little pick-me-up before a workout or when you’re picking up your kids from school? The Energy Cordyceps is the mushy match for you.Focus (Lion’s Mane):  Needing a little more focus in your daily life? Lion’s Mane is known to be the mushroom for the brain and may support cognitive function.Calm (Reishi): Looking for some tranquility and zen in your life? Reishi will bring you into the zen state of mind you’ve been searching for.Daily 10 (Mushroom Mix): It’s like having 10 bodyguard mushrooms fighting off all those bad guys. This is a good place to start as it contains all of the daily mushies you need. Not sure where to begin? Take our mushroom quiz here.Use code ‘PODTREAT’ for a 30% discount.

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 wood. The team at EMPA has built off of existing literature on the biology of spalting which has allowed them to artificially produce spalted wood, potentially opening a market for designer wood rot.Topics Covered:History of spalted wood use in the United StatesThree kinds of spalting: zone lines, pigmentation and white rotMel & Mark Lindquist’s legacy of spalted wood in woodcraftDIY spalting methods: the possibilities and limitationsThe mycology of zone line spalting: what species are involved? What does wood anatomy have to do with it?How researchers at EMPA are commercializing spalted woodsHow you can spalt your own wood at home!Show Notes:EMPA’s Fungal Biotech: https://www.empa.ch/web/s302Spalted Wood The Movie: http://spaltedwood.com/Zone Line Spalting from Science to Application: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0264127521000332GIY Spalted Wood Methods: https://www.finewoodworking.com/2009/04/14/spalt-your-own-lumberWood Spalting Starter Pack: https://www.mossycreekmushrooms.com/product/spalting-liquid-culture-pack/More spalting species (members only): https://www.northernspalting.com/buy-materials/fungi/Compatible woods + examples: https://www.northernspalting.com/spalting-info/wood-species-examples/Dr. Sara (Seri) Robinson book on Spalted Wood: https://www.abebooks.com/Spalting-101-Robinson-Dr-Seri-C/30973684244/bd?cm_mmc=ggl-_-US_Shopp_Trade-_-product_id=COM9780764360893NEW-_-keyword=&gclid=CjwKCAjw3_KIBhA2EiwAaAAlipUvXMCvEPINjOPvbbXRh6epgaMoJPs504UaowGjmrDTZaOPjiLjgRoCSJIQAvD_BwEwww.mushroomrevival.comWe are a functional mushroom company and make 100% certified USDA Organic and Vegan mushroom supplements. We are transparent with our lab results, and use actual fruiting bodies aka mushrooms! We provide our supplements in tincture, capsule, powder, and delicious gummy form. Find your mushy match and take our mushroom quiz  here.Use code ‘PODTREAT’ for a 30% discount.

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 creation of Mycowood technology, and how this unique application could evolve in further wood-based design.Topics Covered:The inspiration for creating MycowoodHow climate change is physically altering our lumber supplyThe history, theory, and materials science of the famous Stradivarius ViolinWood as a material for resonance, and how fungi can be used to engineer the acousticsThe three fungi tested by EMPA for Mycowood including Schizophyllum commune, Physisporinus vitreus, and Xylaria spp.Processes of creating MycowoodThe current availability of Mycowood technologiesShow notes:Dr. Javier Riberia’s Research Gate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Javier-Ribera-2Interview with Francis Schwarze: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=48H_-CRuzWYEMPA Website:https://www.empa.ch/Violino ai funghi (Fungal Violin): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jlICRNzPoicEMPA Report on Mycowood for Violins: https://www.empa.ch/web/s604/mycowood-violin?inheritRedirect=trueBIotech Stradivari: https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/ppp3.10097Mycowood Violins in the NY Times: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/29/learning/mycowood-violins-a-different-kind-of-time-machine.htmlwww.mushroomrevival.comWe are a functional mushroom company and make 100% certified USDA Organic and Vegan mushroom supplements. We are transparent with our lab results, and use actual fruiting bodies aka mushrooms! We provide our supplements in tincture, capsule, powder, and delicious gummy form. Energy (Cordyceps): Need a little pick-me-up before a workout or when you’re picking up your kids from school? The Energy Cordyceps is the mushy match for you.Focus (Lion’s Mane):  Needing a little more focus in your daily life? Lion’s Mane is known to be the mushroom for the brain and may support cognitive function.Calm (Reishi): Looking for some tranquility and zen in your life? Reishi will bring you into the zen state of mind you’ve been searching for.Daily 10 (Mushroom Mix): It’s like having 10 bodyguard mushrooms fighting off all those bad guys. This is a good place to start as it contains all of the daily mushies you need. Not sure where to begin? Take our mushroom quiz here.Use code ‘PODTREAT’ for a 30% discount.

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 simple, natural, systems, and how in doing so we heal the planet by increasing carbon sequestration, depolluting water supply systems, catalyzing environmental justice and so much more.Topics covered:Soil health before human influencePractical ways we can rebuild microbial populations for healthier soilSpecialized relationships between soil fungi and plantsSuccessions of ecosystem health from the soil to mature plantsThe adversaries of inorganic fertilizers Analyzing ratios of the fungal and bacterial needs to grow healthy plantsCultivating and sourcing biocomplete compostIndustrial level compost production and soil remediationCarbon sequestration in soil healthShow notes:Soil Food Web website: https://www.soilfoodweb.com/Dr. Ingham’s published work on soil ecology: https://www.soilfoodweb.com/publications/www.mushroomrevival.comWe are a functional mushroom company and make 100% certified USDA Organic and Vegan mushroom supplements. We are transparent with our lab results, and use actual fruiting bodies aka mushrooms! We provide our supplements in tincture, capsule, powder, and delicious gummy form. Energy (Cordyceps): Need a little pick-me-up before a workout or when you’re picking up your kids from school? The Energy Cordyceps is the mushy match for you.Focus (Lion’s Mane):  Needing a little more focus in your daily life? Lion’s Mane is known to be the mushroom for the brain and may support cognitive function.Calm (Reishi): Looking for some tranquility and zen in your life? Reishi will bring you into the zen state of mind you’ve been searching for.Daily 10 (Mushroom Mix): It’s like having 10 bodyguard mushrooms fighting off all those bad guys. This is a good place to start as it contains all of the daily mushies you need. Not sure where to begin? Take our mushroom quiz here.Use code ‘PODTREAT’ for a 30% discount.

Where is psilocybin headed? Recent societal vindication of psilocybin and other psychedelic therapies are paving a prominent future for these substances, especially in psychiatric therapy. But how do we navigate this resurgence for the better? What conversations should be had, what questions should be asked, and who should we trust? These are big questions that will evolve with the industry. Today we welcome Ron Shore, who has spent years studying clinical applications for psychedelic therapy and collecting related data to initiate conversations around these important elements. Ron is a PhD candidate at Queens University who has spent years in the public health world. Ron offers a needed perspective on the growing economy of psilocybin and other entheogens. Topics Covered:Combining neuroscientific and traditional ceremonial settings for psychedelic healing spacesRevisiting psychedelic science with new understandings in neuroscience & psychiatry The importance of maintaining and respecting all cultural elements without cultural appropriationThe economy of psilocybin — what is it like now? How will it progress and what should we be aware of as the industry grows to ensure we uphold cultural and economic equality?Attempts to patent natural psychedelic substances such as ayahuasca Behind the scenes of psychedelic clinical trials and how we can improve by being more inclusiveObtaining funding for psychedelic researchSteps that industry leaders and influencers can take to be in their highest integrity while doing this workResources and thoughts on educating ourselves on the psychedelic historyPsilocybin and associated alkaloids of psilocybe mushrooms The current state of scientific literature on synthetic or ‘pure’ psilocybin compared to the natural biomass of psilocybe mushroomsAnimal studies with psilocybinHow psychedelics influence your brain physiologically How consciousness is a ‘fruiting body’, and therefore, a mushroom ;)Show Notes:Dimensions healing :https://dimensionshealing.com/Ron Shore’s website: https://www.ronshore.ca/Chacruna Institute for Psychedelic Plant Medicines: https://chacruna.netFrancoise Bourzat: https://francoisebourzat.com/Michael Pollan's books: https://michaelpollan.com/books/Landmark study on neurogenesis: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuron.2021.06.008More articles: https://news.yale.edu/2021/07/05/psychedelic-spurs-growth-neural-connections-lost-depressionhttps://neurosciencenews.com/depression-dendrites-psilocybin-18856/Robin Carhart-Harris’s publications on psilocybin & other psychedelics: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=7_MD_w0AAAAJ&hl=en&oi=aowww.mushroomrevival.com We are a functional mushroom company and make 100% certified USDA Organic and Vegan mushroom supplements. We are transparent with our lab results, and use actual fruiting bodies aka mushrooms! We provide our supplements in tincture, capsule, powder, and delicious gummy form.  Use code ‘PODTREAT’ for a 30% discount.

How did multicellular life evolve? We don’t know! However, fungi are helping us develop ideas about the emergence of complex life. Today we are joined by Dr. William Ratcliff, who has successfully induced naturally unicellular yeast to evolve into multicellular ‘snowflake yeasts’ in his lab at Georgia Tech. Prepare for a delightful interview featuring evolutionary history, biotechnology, semantics, philosophy, and life itself.Dr. William Ratcliff has his Ph.D. in Ecology evolution and Behavior and runs the Ratcliff lab at Georgia Tech and is the Co-Director of the Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Quantitative Biosciences.Topics covered:The difference between multicellular life and single cellular lifeWhat is an organism?Evolutionary trends and novelties in multicellular lifeCatalyzing multicellular life in vitro Why yeast— specifically saccharomyces cerevisiae — are so widely used in genomics research and biotechnologyThe Ratcliff Lab’s development of multicellular yeasts dubbed ‘snowflake yeast’Mechanistic basics of multicellular yeasts, particularly entanglementPrototaxites and its characteristics of entanglements Cellular differentiation and cellular suicide in evolving snowflake yeasts Reversing multicellular evolution  Cyanobacteria, Bangiomorpha pubescens and other early forms of multicellular life Ways that multicellularity can be expressedMyxococcus xanthusAcellular slime moldsHow to grow snowflake yeast at home!Show notes:The Ratcliff Lab: https://ratclifflab.biosci.gatech.edu/Grow your own multicellular yeast: http://www.snowflakeyeastlab.com/the%20kit.htmThe Biophysics if nascent multicellularity: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-WwBiBUcKG4William Ratcliff’s Publications: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=wdVRIS0AAAAJ&hl=enSnowflake Yeast Microscopy Photos: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1h7CqrmjId8r50zT6v_1qXoJWMcHa6JJ9?usp=sharingwww.mushroomrevival.comWe are a functional mushroom company and make 100% certified USDA Organic and Vegan mushroom supplements. We are transparent with our lab results, and use actual fruiting bodies aka mushrooms! We provide our supplements in tincture, capsule, powder, and delicious gummy form. Energy (Cordyceps): Need a little pick-me-up before a workout or when you’re picking up your kids from school? The Energy Cordyceps is the mushy match for you.Focus (Lion’s Mane):  Needing a little more focus in your daily life? Lion’s Mane is known to be the mushroom for the brain and may support cognitive function.Calm (Reishi): Looking for some tranquility and zen in your life? Reishi will bring you into the zen state of mind you’ve been searching for.Daily 10 (Mushroom Mix): It’s like having 10 bodyguard mushrooms fighting off all those bad guys. This is a good place to start as it contains all of the daily mushies you need. Not sure where to begin? Take our mushroom quiz here.Use code ‘PODTREAT’ for a 30% discount.