In an earlier blog I introduced my favorite mycologist, Paul Stamets with some excerpts from The Shark’s Paintbrush. Paul has just released a book, Fantastic Fungi, and a stunning film by gifted time lapse filmmaker Louie Schwartzberg.
Here’s more from my conversation with Paul …
I asked why nature would need to make mushrooms so toxic, and he gave a sensible answer. “Just because mushrooms […]
Weekend before last, the nation enjoyed that great American institution, the Super Bowl, which our friend Kasey observed by getting her own minor concussion during a unscheduled encounter with a marble breakfast bar. In fact, she wasn’t even watching the game, but lacing up her shoes to hike Nevada’s Red Rock Canyon. Her injury, however is one that football players […]
My wife Francesca has suggested that I’m a Bookaholic, but I think that’s a bit extreme. (I can quit anytime I want to …) I do have a lot of books and keep multiple copies of certain favorites so that I can share them with people I meet who I think would enjoy the content. Janine’s book, Biomimicry, is in this group—I […]
In my last blog, I shared some content from The Shark’s Paintbrush about fungi—now let me introduce you to the remarkable mycologist who shared his knowledge of these underappreciated organisms.
Paul Stamets is a colorful, bearded, man of the forest. The first time I met him he was wearing a dapper felt hat—that turned out to be made from mushroom fiber. This deeply knowledgeable, passionate […]
September is National Mushroom Month!
You may have heard that the DNA of fungus is more closely related to human DNA than to that of plants. Did you know that the world’s largest, and probably oldest, living organism is a fungus colony living under the Malheur National Forest in Oregon? It has […]
It’s surprising how cavalier we humans can be about our own safety. Many of the products we use daily on our bodies include chemicals that are known to be toxic or carcinogenic. As the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics (a coalition working under the aegis of the Breast Cancer Fund) points out, we’re not just talking about things like lipstick. Shampoo, […]
It’s so inspiring to see young people addressing the challenges and opportunities of designing cleaner, more sustainable products and technologies—nowhere more so than with the Biomimicry Student Design Challenge. Facilitated by the Biomimicry 3.8 Institute, the Challenge aims to promote the exploration of innovative, bio-inspired designs among college students. The challenge topic is announced in the fall, giving students nearly […]
It’s shaping up to be a busy summer! I’m heading to Australia at the end of July to visit my hometown of Perth, and also to speak at the Colourways Trend Workshop in St. Kilda. Back to California for a week and then off to the Ashland Green and Wild festival, hosted by my publisher, White Cloud Press. This […]
For those of you like my friend and colleague, Kasey Arnold-Ince, who prefer a paperback to a hardcover because (as she says), “It’s easier to stuff into my purse for reading when I’m waiting in line …” there’s good news: the paperback edition of The Shark’s Paintbrush is slated to release in […]
I ran across this article in an Australian publication, Business Insider, about the new “RoboClam, […]
