Mushrooms: All the knowledge, all the stories, all the powers, all the hopes… - Serge Schall

All knowledge. Definition, diversity, reproduction, associations, research, records, curiosities... All stories. Rejection, attraction, cultures, beliefs, mythologies, art, imagination... All powers. Consumption, fermentation, yeast, mold, mycotherapy... All hopes. Legislation, innovations, climate change... What do bread, Alexandria, truffles, penicillin, beer, lichens, Sauternes, orchids, bioluminescence, Hiroshima, athlete's foot, Phallus impudicus, polyurethane, tweed, amadou, ash dieback, carbon, Bleu des Causses cheese, pollution control, and kombucha have in common? Mushrooms, of course! On the ground, in the air, in the bathroom, on the summit of the Himalayas, in the cellar, on our skin... they are everywhere, often invisible companions, for better or for worse. Fungi inhabit every corner of the planet, from the highest peaks to humid environments, in the air, and even on the now ubiquitous plastic particles. In France, just over 27,000 species have been identified, and more than 150,000 worldwide. The world of fungi is a vast and still largely unexplored realm, where we venture into uncharted territory, discovering these living forms that are neither plant nor animal... Like a mushroom, this book is the visible result of a vast network encompassing science, culture, tastings, experiments, and representations... Show less