How Mushrooms Will Save the World (Seriously)
Disclaimer - this is a bit long and chock full of links. Hope you enjoy.
My younger brother sent me the following email a few days ago:
“write about this shit on your website..
The only business worth doing and investing in anymore is business that a) helps save the world and betters our life on it or b) at least doesn’t actively fuck it up”
He is definitely not a finance guy but here’s some backup data to support what some might consider a ludicrous statement. Psilocybin [Psilocybin Wiki page] is the active agent found in over 200 species of mushrooms around the world. It has long been rumored to extoll certain virtues when ingested including a oneness with nature, inner peace and balance, and that ‘Magic Mushrooms’ Can Improve Psychological Health Long Term [source link to this article ].
Ok, so that’s all well and good for those of us that want a trip back to the burnout 60s and 70s, or to dabble in Alice’s Wonderland in real life, but what about the tangible benefits to humans and nature here in the real world?
Glad you asked.
The key here is what is called Mycelium [Mycelium Wiki page] – something that is extremely effective in breaking down toxic waste. In this video Paul Stamets, a renowned mycologist and mushroom enthusiast, is shown growing mushrooms on a farm specifically to produce this magical, stringy cobweb compound for the purposes of eliminating toxins and capturing E. coli (among other studies). This lends to virtually any kind of waste produced in society today (from farming, industrial production, natural disasters, oil and petroleum products you name it), unbelievable implications for the pesticide industry, and even curing common flu and small pox viruses. Just listen to the part about 2 minutes in when he’s talking about radioactive fallout.
In a TED Talk, he goes into a bit more detail here, including touching on a renewable energy called Econol. Hell, you can even buy some here. I guess I’m ignorant in that I’m just reading into this now but I found it absolutely mind-blowing. But how can we really advance this?
This sounds like some amazing stuff which could have so many positive impacts on the environment. Is this practical? Realistic? Have I just eaten too many magic mushrooms? Really looking forward to hearing what you guys have to say about all of this.
"The only business worth doing and investing in anymore is business that a) helps save the world and betters our life on it or b) at least doesn’t actively fuck it up"
as the energy guys keep laughing on the way to the bank
Okay, I've been in research for way too fucking long but my first thought is...so what's the catch? Especially when I saw the TED talk mention.
Not that cool legit research doesn't exist but there's almost always a reason something hasn't been commercialized or other academics haven't hopped on the bandwagon yet. Speaking as someone who has had fairly trivial and embarrassingly early stage research get press, the media just wants a good story. People were extrapolating to moon colonies and such.
Illum quae minima ratione. Sunt in modi adipisci unde minima fugiat. Rem fugit assumenda nihil qui quam minus iste. Deserunt atque veritatis et nostrum aut est.
Est amet perspiciatis tempore qui. Nisi saepe velit neque doloremque ea. Temporibus saepe earum accusamus et.
Debitis iusto quidem nesciunt. Dignissimos sunt dignissimos ut placeat autem illum voluptatibus.
See All Comments - 100% Free
WSO depends on everyone being able to pitch in when they know something. Unlock with your email and get bonus: 6 financial modeling lessons free ($199 value)
or Unlock with your social account...