THE MUSHROOMS WORLD

(Image: Dall-e-2) A n NCAD Graphic Design Student named Niamh Kinch has created an interactive project on Mushrooms in Ireland.  She describes it here:  "  This project focuses on the power of fungi within Ireland’s green spaces. It aims to show the full potential of fungi in an Irish setting through a communication design lens. It explores the well-known uses of fungi while also diving into the lesser-known but extremely fascinating world of the fungi kingdom in an effort to shine a light on the remarkable uses of these organisms. We are fortunate enough to live in a lush, flourishing country full of forests, fields and parks, all teeming with an array of fungi, so why not utilise this amazing natural material? This project portrays fungi’s important role in our fight against climate change, while also taking a more fun approach through forest fungi hunts and outdoor activities. It aims to provide a balance between work and pleasure in the fungi kingdom and to get people...

(Image Art: Aztec Shaman: Artist Ben Mcleod) I n 1955  Gordon Wasson , became the first modern westerner to document an indigenous  did xi tó  – psychedelic mushroom in the Mazatec language – ceremony. Wasson soon showed his findings to the world to educate millions on the mind-warping and consciousness expanding fungi that were all around them. A global trend of magic mushroom discoveries was soon to follow.       (Image: Life Magazine, 1957) Few societies – from ancient times to the modern age –  had woken up to the existence of fungi containing psilocybin, a hallucinogen that came in many varieties which induce feelings of joy and may have have anti-depressant qualities. Wasson’s article on his experiences in Mexico was publish in Life in 1957 (images inset) (PHOTO: VICE)  THE ARCHED ENTRANCE TO HUAUTLA, IN WHICH VISITORS ARE WISHED A HAPPY TRIP ALONGSIDE IMAGES OF PSYCHEDELIC MUSHROOMS. (Image: Life Magazine, 1957) Wasson's report inadver...

    With stunning video footage of natures life cycles and colourful dialogue about the magic of mushrooms, this documentary is one of  2019's must watch non-fiction releases .   Mycologist Paul Stamet is passionate about mushrooms,  in this documentary film he explains the  ways the mycelium fungus can help save the universe: cleaning polluted soil, making insecticides, treating smallpox and even flu viruses. Stamets’ message goes further: that fungi can be put to use in a variety of helpful ways: cleaning up oil spills, assisting chemotherapy and – a little more controversially – treating mental illness.    This film poses as many questions as it answers, an incredible look into the misunderstood world of fungi, a plant with miracle like properties that has escaped attention from mainstream science for far too long.  Whilst the film becomes slightly esoteric as it progresses it nevertheless offers something not often found in films ab...

(Photo illustration by Salon/Getty Images)           T he colours red and white, Santa Claus, flying reindeer and climbing down the chimney are all part of western Christmas tradition, but have you ever wondered where these stories came from?  It may surprise you, but all of these Christmas traditions can be traced back to the Amanita Muscaria mushroom, also known as the fly agaric mushroom: the most iconic  toadstool  in popular culture.  Long  before the 19th century when the commercial aspect of Christmas began to appear, the Northern European festival of Yule was more commonly known and practiced across Northern Europe. (Photo: Pexels) This fungus featured in the story of Alice in Wonderland, and has been used throughout history as a religious sacrament for its hallucinogenic properties when ingested.  Aztec peoples referred to psychedelic mushrooms as the flesh of the gods and used them to induce altered states of consciousne...