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Fungus Among Us : From Caveman Cures to Cosmic Trips

Fungus Among Us : From Caveman Cures to Cosmic Trips

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 Episode 3 – Fungus Among UsFrom Ötzi the Iceman’s 5,000-year-old mushroom pouch to futuristic fungal tech aboard the International Space Station, this episode of Harry Situation dives into the weird, wild world of mushrooms. Why do some people hate them? What makes them magical? And how are they shaping the future of medicine, space travel, and mental health?Host Harry Rogue unpacks the science, the stigma, and the spongy truth behind fungi. With peer-reviewed facts, a bit of humor, and zero mycologist credentials.Spoiler: mushrooms are way more than pizza toppings.ReferencesBBC Earth. (2024). Fungi for the future. https://www.bbcearth.com/news/fungi-for-the-futureBusiness Insider. (2025). Space nutritionist: Mushrooms as superfood in space. https://www.businessinsider.com/space-nutritionist-mushrooms-superfood-nasa-study-spacex-mars-travel-2025-3FactRetriever. (2023). 50 fascinating mushroom facts. https://www.factretriever.com/mushroom-factsUSU Extension. (n.d.). Why some people dislike mushrooms. https://extension.usu.edu/createbetterhealth/blog/mushroomshttps://www.factretriever.com/mushroom-factsFoodPrint. (n.d.). Mushrooms. https://foodprint.org/real-food/mushrooms/GlowHub. (2024). 11 of the wildest mushroom facts you'll ever hear. https://glowhub.com/blogs/news/11-of-the-wildest-mushroom-facts-you-ll-ever-hearJustice.gov. (2003). Psilocybin. National Drug Intelligence Center. https://www.justice.gov/archive/ndic/pubs6/6038/index.htmJRE #2347. (2024). The Joe Rogan Experience [Podcast episode]. Spotify. https://open.spotify.com/episode/075arN1YTBWleB5cub5KVTNational Forests. (n.d.). Fun facts about mushrooms. https://www.nationalforests.org/blog/fun-facts-about-mushroomsNature. (2020). Nutritional and medicinal value of mushrooms. Scientific Reports, 10, Article 59282. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-020-59282-yNPR. (2024). Drug busts of 'magic mushrooms' went way up in recent years. https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2024/02/06/1229298615/psilocybin-magic-mushrooms-drug-bustNorthSpore. (2024). How fungi can support life in space. https://northspore.com/blogs/the-black-trumpet/how-fungi-can-support-life-in-spaceOneEarth. (2024). The future is fungi. https://www.oneearth.org/the-future-is-fungi/RAND Corporation. (2024). Magic mushrooms and policy: Latest research on psychedelics. https://www.rand.org/news/press/2024/06/27.htmlScientific American. (2024). Restrictions on psilocybin are easing as research ramps up. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/restrictions-on-psilocybin-magic-mushrooms-are-easing-as-research-ramps-upSciencedirect. (2018). Edible mushrooms: Improving health and disease resistance. Industrial Crops and Products, 122, 574–581. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0924224418302103Swinburne University. (2024). Swinburne-led fungi experiment blasts off to the ISS. https://www.swinburne.edu.au/news/2024/08/swinburne-led-fungi-experiment-blasts-off-to-the-international-space-stationUC San Diego Today. (2024). Unregulated sales of a toxic and hallucinogenic mushroom endanger public health. https://today.ucsd.edu/story/unregulated-sales-of-a-toxic-and-hallucinogenic-mushroom-endanger-public-healthWikipedia. (2025). Medicinal uses of fungi. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medicinal_uses_of_fungiNew York Times. (1998). Lessons in Iceman’s Prehistoric Medicine Kit. https://www.nytimes.com/1998/12/08/science/lessons-in-iceman-s-prehistoric-medicine-kit.htmlSeacoast Online. (2009). Iceman’s mushrooms key in understanding ancient medicine. https://www.seacoastonline.com/story/lifestyle/2009/02/11/iceman-s-mushrooms-key-in/52100922007/StoneAgeMan. (n.d.). Hoof Fungus and the Iceman. https://stoneageman.com/hoof-fungus/
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