
A power which many climate biotechs and NGOs are now trying to harness to help tackle the climate crisis.Īs such, human co-existence with fungi is, in many ways, harmonious, and more than that, there’s even a myriad of benefits to be bestowed by exploring this relationship further.īut what must not be forgotten, is that much like bacteria, although there are certainly many “good” fungi out there, there are also plenty which are considered “bad.” Most notably – without taking into account the poisonous or hallucinogenic edible varieties – the many fungal pathogens that cause invasive infection and pose a serious threat to global human health.

They’re also of course, in the wild, where these microorganisms play a key role in the forest microbiome and biodiversity, even helping to capture carbon from the atmosphere and sequester it in the soil. They’re also in your closet, woven into that vegan leather jacket, your Adidas Stan Smith’s, lululemon leggings and even your yoga mat – if the items bought from these brands come from their mycelium or “mylo” ranges, they’re made of fungus. Precious Italian white truffle sprinkled on pasta in Piedmont is also a fungus, as is the mushroom that makes up the meat alternatives you buy in the supermarket.

They’re in the kitchen, from the yeast that ferments the beer, bread and wine served at your favourite restaurant, to the mould that will soon appear on the food in your fridge, which you really should have stayed in and eaten instead.
