Sarah Brown
In the Life is Strange game, players are upset by the death of Mushroom, a German Shorthaired Pointer, in the second episode. Players expected the dog's death to occur later in the game, if at all. They were also disappointed by the lack of alternative endings, such as taking Mushroom to an animal shelter or leaving her with the Reynolds, who previously owned a dog. Players were also surprised by the lack of emotion displayed by the characters following Mushroom's death. Some players believe that the game developers may have been constrained by timing or budget issues, leading to the early and abrupt death of Mushroom in the episode.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Author | Stamets |
| Mushroom Species | Oyster Mushrooms, Mycena alcalina, Agarikon, White Rot, Lion's Mane, Honey Fungus, Cordyceps, Psilocybin, Penicillium, Puccinia graminis, Chanterelle, Shaggy Parasol, King Bolete, Ghost Pipe |
| Mushroom Uses | Medicine, Forestry, Pesticides, Pollution Control, Food, Cleaning Oil Spills, Defense Against Weaponized Smallpox, Breaking Down Toxic Chlorine-Based Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs), Providing Orchid Seeds with Carbon |
| Mushroom Cultivation Tips | Sterilize the Substrate, Regularly Check Pressure When Using a Pressure Cooker, Flame Treat Syringe Needle After Each Use, Maintain a Clean and Sterile Work Environment, Control Humidity, Air Exchange, Light, and Temperature |
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What You'll Learn
Mushrooms can be used to clean up oil spills
Mushrooms have been proposed as a solution to clean up oil spills, with some scientists and activists believing in their potential to empower victims of environmental disasters to clean up their land. Mushrooms have been shown to feed on organic compounds and break down lignins, removing petroleum-based contaminants from the soil and breaking them down into non-toxic components. This process, known as mycoremediation, has been suggested as a response to the BP oil spill disaster.
Mycoremediation has demonstrated positive results, according to scientists in many countries. One of the challenges is that there is currently not enough mycelium available to address the scale of the problem. However, there is potential for pre-selecting new strains of mushrooms that are more adaptive to oil-saturated substrates. By placing composting and mycoremediation centers near population centers, it may be possible to address the need for more mycelium.
The use of mushrooms for cleanup also has economic benefits, as it can reduce disposal costs. The 'aged compost' produced after mushrooms are harvested is rich in enzymes and can be used for mycoremediation purposes. This process can also help address the problem of contaminated soil, making it useful again for crops.
One example of a mushroom with potential for oil spill cleanup is the reishi mushroom, which grows naturally in Sucumbíos, Ecuador, and has well-documented antibacterial properties. The Amazon Mycorenewal Project, in collaboration with Sucumbíos’s only higher education institute, the Instituto Superior Tecnológico Crecermas (ISTEC), aims to transform the institute into Ecuador’s primary hub for mushroom cultivation, distribution, and education, with the goal of cleaning up one of the world's largest oil disasters.
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Mushrooms can be used in medicine
Mushrooms have been used for medicinal purposes for thousands of years. The ancient Greeks used the amadou mushroom as a potent anti-inflammatory and for cauterizing wounds. The first-century Chinese alchemist Tao Hongjing described several medicinal mushrooms, including ling zhi and zhu ling, which were reportedly used by Shennong many centuries earlier.
Mushrooms are a source of ergosterol, which can be converted to vitamin D2 upon exposure to ultraviolet light. They also contain a variety of compounds that can target signaling molecules and pathways involved in cancer progression, metastasis, and angiogenesis. For example, phytochemicals found in mushrooms have demonstrated anti-invasive, antimetastatic, and antiangiogenic activities in cell culture and animal experiments. Mushrooms can also modulate the immune system, resulting in the secretion of a variety of cytokines and the stimulation of natural killer cells, which have anticancer activities.
However, as of 2022, there is not enough scientific evidence to indicate that any mushroom or mushroom extract is effective for reducing the risk of cancer. While medicinal mushrooms have been used for their beneficial effects on health, more research is needed to establish their efficacy in treating specific conditions. Further controlled human trials, particularly for long-term use, are necessary to understand the safety and interaction of mushrooms with other drugs.
Despite the need for further research, mushrooms hold promise as a valuable source of bioactive compounds with extensive medicinal applications. Their ability to produce metabolites through biotechnology makes them useful in developing prescription drugs. Compounds derived from mushrooms that are successfully used as drugs or are under research include treatments for infections, inhibitors of cholesterol and ergosterol synthesis, and psychotropics.
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Mushrooms can be used in forestry
Additionally, mushrooms can aid in breaking down and decomposing organic matter, such as fallen trees, plants, and dead leaves. The fungi use enzymes to convert this decomposed material into energy, which is then used to expand their mycelium or create fruiting bodies. Some species of fungi have even adapted to break down more potent substances like rock, crude oil, plastics, and TNT. For example, certain fungi can break down the lignin in wood, converting complex hydrocarbons into carbohydrates. This ability has caught the attention of bioremediation companies, who are interested in using fungi to clean up contaminated soil and oil spills.
Moreover, mushrooms are an important food source for animals in the forest, such as deer, bears, rabbits, squirrels, and insects. By spreading the fungi's spores, these animals help disperse the mushrooms to other parts of the forest, aiding in their life cycle.
In terms of forestry practices, mushrooms can be cultivated both indoors and outdoors. Indoor cultivation provides a controlled environment with dark and cool conditions, maintained through proper ventilation and humidity levels. Outdoor cultivation involves creating shaded spots that mimic the mushrooms' natural environment, protecting them from direct sunlight while maintaining humidity and providing fresh air. The choice of substrate, such as sawdust or grain, depends on the mushroom species being cultivated.
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Mushrooms can be used in pesticides
Mushrooms have been used for various purposes, including medicine, forestry, and pollution control. They are also believed to be useful in pesticides. Mushrooms can be used in pesticides because they are a natural source of insecticides. Sciarid flies and Cecid are the most common pests in mushrooms worldwide. These pests have caused significant economic losses in the mushroom industry. To prevent and control these pests, insecticides are used on mushrooms to boost yields and reduce economic losses. Pyrethroids are frequently used on mushrooms to prevent and control pests like Sciarid and Cecid.
The use of pesticides on mushrooms is important to boost yields and control pests. However, it is also important to minimize the use of pesticides and ensure food safety. Pesticide residues in mushrooms can be harmful to human health and can affect foreign trade. Therefore, it is important to determine the presence of pesticide residues in mushrooms through various analytical methods. The QuEChERS methodology has been developed as a popular method to determine pesticide residues in food matrices, including mushrooms. This method uses GC, GC-MS/MS, or LC-MS/MS for the extraction and determination of pesticide residues.
Other purification techniques used for the pretreatment procedures of pesticide residues in mushrooms include solid-phase extraction (SPE), gel permeation chromatography (GPC), and matrix solid-phase dispersion. These techniques are more complicated and use larger amounts of organic solvents. The presence of substances derived from samples, such as protein, sterols, essential amino acids, and polysaccharides, can interfere with the determination of pesticide residues. Therefore, pretreatment technology is crucial in detecting pesticide residues in edible mushrooms.
Overall, mushrooms can be used in pesticides through the natural production of insecticides that help boost yields and reduce economic losses caused by pests. However, it is important to minimize the use of pesticides and ensure food safety by determining pesticide residues through analytical methods like QuEChERS and pretreatment technologies.
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Mushrooms can be used in pollution control
Mushrooms have been used in pollution control in various ways. For example, in New Zealand, mushrooms have been used to filter oil from a canal. Oyster mushrooms, in particular, are well known for their ability to break down petroleum and hydrocarbons. In addition, mushrooms can be used to prevent toxic ash runoff from entering fresh waterways and regenerating ecosystems damaged by fire.
The use of mushrooms for pollution control can also be seen in the LIFE MySOIL project, which has leveraged mycoremediation to reduce Total Petroleum Hydrocarbons in soil by 90% across three pilot sites in Europe. Furthermore, mushrooms have been observed to break down pollutants such as "forever chemicals" (PFAS), herbicides, and pesticides.
The ability of mushrooms to break down complex carbon chain molecules is due to the production of specific enzymes. This capability allows them to target other persistent organic pollutants with similar chemical structures.
In the city of Cleveland, mushrooms are being used to address the problem of abandoned houses riddled with toxins like lead. The waste material from these structures is mixed into a substrate that becomes suitable for growing fungi. The fungi then extract and capture heavy metals and other toxins, while the leftover substrate is transformed into clean bricks for new construction.
The use of mushrooms in pollution control offers a natural and effective solution to various environmental challenges, showcasing their potential to save the world.
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