Secondary Metabolites
Secondary Metabolites, “MYC Piss Explained, by Seth Austin of ITW.NEWS. Mushrooms have their own metabolism, it is how they consume their substrate. Unlike plants that use photosynthesis, think of them as moving stomachs with the ability to respond to stimuli....
ITW Collab – Mycoheterotrophy
Mycoheterotrophic ParasitismBY: @C_Y_SPAMIn school, we’re taught that plants make their own food from carbon dioxide, water, and energy from the sun thanks to a green, sun-catching pigment called chlorophyll, right? While that’s entirely true for about 99% of plants,...
Fly Killer Fungi
Two newly discovered fungi species have a similarly macabre mode of action: They eat flies alive while using them to drop spores on new victims.The related species, Strongwellsea tigrinae and Strongwellsea acerosa, attack the fly species Coenosia tigrina and Coenosia...
ITW Collab – Orchids
Photo: Joey Santore (pogonia ophioglossoides)Orchids + FungusesBy: C_Y_SpamIf you can believe it, until about the 60’s, the scientific community considered the immense world of fungi to be a mere offshoot of the plant kingdom. Though we now know much more about the...
María Sabina Magdalena García
Maria was believed to be born in 1894-98 in the mountainous Mexican district of Huatla, but no records to prove it. Born into a poor family with ancestral shamans, she quickly took a liking to her grandparents who helped train her in the ways of communicating with God...
Leave the Toads Alone
Photo by Sean Barefield (@mojave_cerastes)Bufo Alvarius, “The Colorado River Toad”, is a fascinating amphibian found in Northern Mexico and the Southwest parts of the United States. According to PBS Nature Works, “It is 3-7 inches in length and is the largest native...
Merry Mushmas
Santa Claus’ origins are very hazy, some say it was Coca-Cola’s marketing push, old Greek legend, and some Norse folktales among countless other stories. The truth is that the modern-day Santa has become an amalgamation of many myths and legends, and we are diving...
Are Mycorrhiza Additives Right for You?
Mycorrhiza is a symbiotic relationship between plants and fungus, a relationship every single plant in nature relies on and benefits from. Mycorrhiza fungus, starting life as microscopic spores, is filament-like in structure, it can be thinner than hair or as thick as...
Fuzzy Feet and Aerial Mycelium
FUZZY FEET AND AERIAL MYCELIUM If you’ve ever grown any species of fungus using mushroom spores or any other method, you’ve probably seen what’s called fuzzy feet. What appears to be a white fuzz at the base of the fruiting body are actually called aerial mycelium....