logo
episode-header-image
Dec 2023
52m 26s

The Life-changing Magic of Fungi | Merli...

Jonathan Fields / Acast
About this episode

Have you ever wondered about the secret fungal networks operating unseen beneath your feet? My guest Merlin Sheldrake, author of the New York Times bestseller Entangled Life, reveals a surreal subterranean cosmos of mycelium underlying life as we know it.


In this mind-expanding conversation, Sheldrake illuminates the alien intelligence of fungi and their profound interconnectedness with human existence. Discover how these overlooked organisms communicate, adapt, and even exhibit consciousness despite their radically decentralized biology.


Delving into fungal behaviors and the latest scientific research, Sheldrake fundamentally alters our perception of the natural world. His new book Entangled Life: The Illustrated Edition: How Fungi Make Our Worlds brings the magic of fungi to life through stunning visuals. After listening, you may never look at mold quite the same way again.


You can find Merlin at: Website | Instagram | Episode Transcript


If you LOVED this episode you’ll also love the conversations we had with Adam Gazzaley about psilocybin and those things we know as magic mushrooms or psychedelics.


Check out our offerings & partners: 



Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Up next
Today
The 4 Chemicals That Secretly Run Your Life (and How to Rebalance Them) | Tj Power
What if your phone is actually training your brain to feel less motivated, less connected, and more stressed?In this fascinating conversation, neuroscientist TJ Power, author of The DOSE Effect: An Inspiring Self-Healing Guide About the Mind-Body-Hormonal Connection, reveals how ... Show More
1h 4m
Jul 7
Reclaim Your Free Time: Simple Strategies to Take Back Your Life | Jenny Blake
What if working less could actually make you more effective? In this perspective-shifting conversation, Jenny Blake (author of Free Time: Lose the Busywork, Love Your Business) reveals how she runs multiple successful companies working just 20 hours a week, and shares her revolut ... Show More
1h 24m
Jul 3
Finding Joy in a Life You Never Saw Coming | Jessica Slice
From high-flying real estate mogul to proud disabled mother, Jessica Slice's transformative journey will shake you awake to your own yearnings. In this candid conversation, the Unfit Parent: A Disabled Mother Challenges an Inaccessible World author exposes medicine's dehumanizing ... Show More
57m 57s
Recommended Episodes
May 2020
How to Find True and Lasting Happiness & The Truly Amazing World of Mushrooms
Does a full moon really bring out craziness in people? Does it cause more car accidents and hospital admissions? This episode begins with a look at whether or not the moon really affects human behavior – or at least why so many people believe it does. http://newsroom.ucla.edu/rel ... Show More
52m 31s
May 2022
SYSK Choice: Simple Steps to Being Happier & How Fungi Powers Life
Does a full moon really bring out craziness in people? Does it cause more car accidents and hospital admissions? This episode begins with a look at whether or not the moon really affects human behavior – or at least why so many people believe it does. http://newsroom.ucla.edu/rel ... Show More
52m 31s
Jul 2021
Cosmic Queries - The Fungus Among Us with Merlin Sheldrake
Can mushrooms take over your mind? On this episode, Neil deGrasse Tyson and comic co-host Matt Kirshen explore the weird world of fungi with fun-guy fungus expert and ecologist, Merlin Sheldrake. Could inactive spores survive space? NOTE: StarTalk+ Patrons can watch or listen to ... Show More
55m 16s
Jul 2023
The Magic of Mushrooms
Brian Cox and Robin Ince find out about the secret world of fungi, hidden beneath our feet. They are joined by biologist Merlin Sheldrake and mycologist Katie Field. They hear about the hidden life of fungi, including their hundreds of mating types, predatory behaviour and crucia ... Show More
42m 31s
Feb 2022
Understanding Psychedelics and Fantastic Fungi
We all know the anti-drug propaganda, and we’ve all heard about “bad trips,” but how much of that is actually true? Today’s guest made the Netflix Documentary “Fantastic Fungi” and has a different viewpoint on psychedelics. In this episode, Louie Schwartzberg explains how many ps ... Show More
32m 29s
Oct 2017
Healing Mushrooms: Tero Isokauppila On The Magical, Mysterious, Health Promoting Properties Of Fungi
“It's impossible to truly quantify the myriad of ways mushrooms can positively impact your life, yet they're capable of doing all these things and so much more. Quietly, persistently, effectively.” Tero Isokauppila We tend to think of mushrooms as a pizza topping. Something we to ... Show More
1h 48m
Jan 2023
The Hidden Powers of Fungi
When you hear the word fungi, chances are mushrooms come to mind: button mushrooms, maybe portobellos, or chanterelles. But so much of the fungi kingdom is invisible — underground — and many say underappreciated. Fungi are vital to life on the planet, but scientists are just begi ... Show More
49m 12s
Jan 2021
Looking for mushrooms, finding happiness
We're journeying into hidden worlds, exploring nature that offers much more than what initially meets the eye. We travel to locations that continue to thrive against the odds.When Long Litt Woon's life drastically changed, she turned to the secretive world of mushrooms to manage ... Show More
26m 43s
Jan 2021
Is a fungus intelligent?
As regular listeners may recall, CrowdScience has delved into the strange world of fungi before, as we dug down into the forest floor to reveal how plants and trees are connected to the vast mycelial network known as the “wood wide web”. But what makes this network possible and h ... Show More
29m 9s