Intelligences of Nature: Fungi

Whether or not we realize it, a fungus is among us wherever we go. Mycorrhizal networks in garden soils weave together fungi and plant roots. Mushrooms emerge from damp logs and are ingredients for meals, medicines, and sacred rituals. Lichens cover the surface of boulders and tree bark. Yeasts give shape to breads and molds grow on spoiled foods. A specialized cordyceps spore attaches to an ant’s body and germinates, breaches the exoskeleton, and turns the insect into a zombie-like vessel to release more spores. There is no shortage of fascinating topics in the field of mycology—the study of fungi. The resources in this collection seek to learn what fungi can teach us about cooperation, community, transformation, and how decomposition is a necessary step in the cycles of life.