Entangled Life: How Fungi Make Our Worlds, Change Our Minds & Shape Our Futures

There is a lifeform that is so amazing and weird that it makes us reevaluate how life functions.

It is present in the ground, the air, and our bodies yet is neither plant nor animal. Even while it may be minuscule, it also gives rise to the biggest known animals, which can weigh tens of thousands of tonnes and live for millennia. It can live in space unprotected, can flourish in the presence of nuclear radiation, and its capacity to digest rock allowed the first life to emerge on Earth.

Merlin Sheldrake delves into the fascinating and sometimes overlooked realm of fungus, which are awe-inspiring creatures that support almost all living systems. They are able to influence animal behaviour with deadly accuracy and solve issues without the need of a brain, defying conventional conceptions of intelligence. Fungi have affected human history by providing us with bread, wine, and life-saving medications. Their hallucinogenic qualities have impacted cultures since antiquity and have lately been demonstrated to treat a variety of mental diseases. In addition to being used in ground-breaking technology, fungus's capacity to break down plastic, explosives, herbicides, and crude oil is also revolutionising our understanding of ecosystems. These fungi have been shown to link plants in subterranean networks known as the "Wood Wide Web." However, they spend the most of their lives hidden from view, and more than 90% of their species are still unidentified.

entwined Life is an enlightening voyage into this secret realm of existence, demonstrating the significance of fungus in comprehending both the planet we inhabit and our own thoughts, emotions, and behaviours. It makes less and less sense without fungus as we understand more about them.