A perfect circle of mushrooms in the grass can feel like a message. We follow that feeling into the heart of fungi and folklore with Amanda McLoughlin and Julia Schifini of Spirits, exploring why mushrooms unsettle us, how they anchor myth, and what they can teach us about living with limits and wonder. From fairy rings and house spirits to cordyceps and body horror, we trace the line between ecology and story: a mycelial network expands and fruits at the edge, myth calls it a threshold, and we decide whether to cross.
We dig into the science that fuels the myths—external digestion, predatory oyster mushrooms hunting nematodes, and the eerie intelligence of networks that appear overnight. Then we connect those facts to the rules of folklore: hospitality laws, shared flood stories, and warnings against greed that echo modern forager ethics. We also examine the complicated modern history of psychedelics, sacred ritual, and the mid‑century rush that stripped context in favor of spectacle, reminding ourselves that power without reciprocity becomes a curse in every tradition.
Finally, we turn to fungi as caretakers: recyclers of forests, soil makers, and even potential allies against plastic pollution. Along the way, Amanda and Julia share why house spirits matter, how rituals make homes feel alive, and why returning to stories of reciprocity might be the most practical climate strategy of all. Press play for a smart, spooky tour of mushrooms, myth, and the moral math of sharing a planet. If this conversation re‑enchanted your sense of the woods, subscribe, share with a curious friend, and leave a review telling us the mushroom story you’ll never forget.
As always, thanks so much for listening! Subscribe, rate, and review Planthropology on your favorite podcast app. It helps the show keep growing and reaching more people! As a bonus, if you review Planthropology on Apple Podcasts or Podchaser and send me a screenshot of it, I'll send you an awesome sticker pack!
Planthropology is written, hosted, and produced by Vikram Baliga. Our theme song is "If You Want to Love Me, Babe, by the talented and award-winning composer, Nick Scout. Midroll tunes are by Rooey.