Mushroom Revival Podcast

Zombie fungi aren't just cool — they're extremely useful.

Dr. Brian Lovett is back on the show to discuss the powers of entomopathogenic fungi. We get into the weeds of what makes these fungi equip for success as carnivores, transgenic engineering, the evolution of pathology and more. Brian also shares cutting edge research from the MosquitoSphere in Burkina Faso, where he and his team work to combat malaria using Metarhizium fungi...

Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) is one of fungi’s most well known chemical analogues. Today we bring you a leading scientist, Dr. David Nichols who speaks to the history, chemistry, legality and so much more of this notable compound...

Ergot describes a group of fungi with powerful alkaloids. So powerful, that they have impact in history, medicine, and possibly religion. It's famous for the morbid poisoning in humans, for catalyzing the synthesis of LSD,  and its potential role in ancient ceremony. Today we are honored to speak with Dr. Daniel Panaccione, who is one of few ergot alkaloid specialists. Having studied their biosynthesis and genetics, he is a true expert on their chemical matters.

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To celebrate our 100th episode, we kick off the show with a compilation of all the responses to our classic question "If mushrooms had the mic and could say one thing to the whole human race, what would they say?"

We also have some updates for you all, including a message of gratitude for making the podcast possible. Enjoy the condensed fungal wisdom and some candid conversation between your co-hosts Alex Dorr and Lera Niemackl...

We are humbled to be speaking with psychedelic pioneer, Dennis McKenna. Dennis and his late brother Terrence are some of the most influential figures in western psychedelic culture. The brothers contributed to the introduction to psilocybin mushrooms in the United States, including but not limited to, cultivation techniques, ethnomycology, user guidance, and providing spores...

A milestone for mycelium has emerged. Adidas has partnered with Bolt threads, a biomaterials company, to use mycelium in their Stan Smith Mylo Edition shoes.  Built with biology, crafted with humanity— Bolt Threads is pioneering the use of fungal materials into industrial commodities, and it's not something their team takes lightly. Today we are joined by the co-founder of Bolt Threads, Dr...

What does commercial mushroom farming look like in the United States? Today we welcome the production manager of Far West Fungi, Kyle Garrone, to share the history of commercial farming in the US. Far West Fungi has been in business for over 35 years, and the team has traveled far and wide to learn from mushroom farms around the globe...

If you aren't convinced that fungi are omnipresent, bizarre, and mighty, you haven't read Fungipedia. Today we are featuring some of our favorite segments from this book and are joined by the author himself, Lawrence Millman. Lawrence has traveled far and wide on quests for information on the fungal kingdom. Sit back and enjoy some wow factor fun facts on fungi...

Billions of cicadas are due to emerge, and some of them will be infected with a truly peculiar fungus, Massospora cicadina. Referred to as Flying Salt Shakers of Death, these infected cicadas have a grim and bizarre future above ground. We are joined by the brilliant mycologist and entomologist, Dr. Brian Lovett, who talks us through the mechanisms behind this insidious fungus and why it’s worth studying...

In today's show, we attempt to visit the mind of John Cage. A beloved artist and lesser known mycologist, John Cage created a variety of works with fungi as a central muse. Cage is famous for his musical compositions and performances, but today we are going spotlight his mycophilia and impact his devotion to mushrooms had on his creative and metaphysical senses...