Hey Fungi Fam,
We’re back for another issue of Fungi Friday, and boy do we have some fun ones in store for you today. I know we’ve covered some very unique uses for mushrooms over our time together, but this week might take the cake. So let’s keep the chit-chat light for today and instead let’s get into this week’s stories.
In today’s email:
Mushroom batteries
Mushroom vacuum cleaners
Psychedelics to improve sexual satisfaction
Iowa Fungi’s Update of the Week
Had our one-week check-in last weekend and so far, so good. Humidity was a little on the lower side, but we tweaked the fan situation a bit, so hoping that’ll help. Spawn is slowly consuming the hay, which should hopefully be fully complete in the next few days to a week. Heading down to the farm again tomorrow to check in on things, as we’re all busy this weekend. Fingers crossed we’ll have some bags to move to fruiting!
Mushrooms could be the next big thing in energy storage
Scientists are looking at fungi as a way to create sustainable energy storage. They are using carbon filaments from mushrooms to make supercapacitors. Supercapacitors are similar to batteries but store energy electrostatically, allowing for faster charging and discharging. Fungi are a good choice because their filaments are already small and require less energy to process than plant fibers. The researchers were able to grow mushrooms with different fiber sizes depending on the species and growing conditions. They believe this could lead to more control over the energy storage and release in the supercapacitors. However, there are still challenges such as obtaining consistent results from the biological organisms. Overall, the researchers are hopeful that this is a promising step towards creating more sustainable energy storage solutions.
In simpler terms, this research is about using mushrooms to develop new batteries that can store energy quickly and release it quickly. These batteries would be more sustainable than traditional batteries because they would use fungi, which are a renewable resource. There are still some challenges to overcome, but this research is a promising step forward.
Psychedelic Spotlight
‘Solar-powered vacuum cleaners’: the native plants that could clean toxic soil
This is an article about using native plants to clean up toxic soil. It discusses the environmental benefits of this method, called bioremediation. Bioremediation uses fungi and plants to absorb contaminants from the soil. Researchers are studying the use of native California plants for this purpose. The article mentions a study that showed promising results using this technique.
Indigenous groups are interested in bioremediation as a way to clean up polluted sites. They are concerned that current methods, like dig-and-haul, are too destructive. Bioremediation is seen as a more sustainable and culturally sensitive approach.
There are limitations to bioremediation, however. It is a slower process than dig-and-haul, and it may not be suitable for all types of contamination. More research is needed before it can be widely adopted.
More Mushroom Mentions
At the first-ever Berkshires Mushroom Festival, different uses of fungi are celebrated and explored
Get your baskets out, Iowans. Here's your guide to morel mushroom hunting and safety tips
Psychedelic use appears to lead to lasting improvements in sexual functioning and satisfaction
A recent study explored the possible link between psychedelic use and sexual well-being. Researchers surveyed over 260 people who had used psychedelics within the past year. These individuals reported improvements in various aspects of their sexual function after the experience.
The survey results indicated that participants felt increased enjoyment, arousal, and satisfaction during sex. They also reported improved communication with their partners and a greater sense of connection. These positive effects were reported to last up to six months after the psychedelic use.
It's important to consider that this was an observational study. This means it can't definitively prove that psychedelics directly cause sexual improvement. Further research is needed to delve deeper into this potential connection.
That’s all, folks… but before we let you go, leave a comment below on how we can make the publication even better! And if you haven’t yet, smash that SUBSCRIBE button below.
Thanks for reading as always,
BowTiedMushroom