Mycologist Paul Stamets studies mycelium and lists 6 ways that this astonishing fungus can help save the world. Cleaning polluted soil, creating new insecticides, treating smallpox and maybe even the flu … in 18 minutes, he doesn’t get all the way through his list, but he has plenty of time to blow your mind. An audience favorite at TED2008. (Recorded February 2008 in Monterey, California. Duration: 17:44.)
You may want to see and contribute to the TED talks comments at paul_stamets_on_6_ways_mushrooms_can_save_the_world.html
I believe Paul Statmet’s most important example of how mushrooms can save the universe is that they are able to clean polluted soil. Theoretically, is all grocery stores would have shut down along with non-essential businesses during the COVID19 pandemic, we would be left to make our our food. Around here, this is no problem. But, in places like Bangladesh, named the most polluted area of the world, this may not be as possible. If we can use natural resources like different fungi to make the world a cleaner, less polluted place, that is a primary first step to saving our earth.