Kids Corner: Let’s Talk: Mushrooms!

Please don’t go out and eat regular or majik mushrooms that are not confirmed to be safe for consumption.  There are species of mushrooms that can kill you.  There….that’s my disclaimer for people who might do dumb things!  Read on: 

This article is about mushrooms (AKA mushies :>)! What exactly are mushies? Mushrooms are actually from the Fungi family, which is more closely related to humans than plants. Mushrooms and the fungi family can be found on every continent including Antarctica. The largest producer of mushrooms worldwide is China, with almost 5 million tons produced and shipped all over the world in a year.  It was around 350 to 420 million years ago that mushies ruled the earth… and yes, I said that right! Long before trees were even a thing, the planet was covered in huge forests of giant mushies taller than an elephant! “Why are mushrooms cool?  SO MANY REASONS!!  A) like I said, mushies are actually closer to humans than plants; they “inhale” oxygen and “exhale” carbon dioxide, rather than the other way around, like plants do. B) some people theorize mushies come from space!! Mushroom spores, the reason for their easy expansion across the planet, are actually electron-dense, allowing them to survive the vacuum of space.  Also, their outer layer is a metallic purple color, which easily allows the spore to deflect ultra-violet light. And what’s cooler is that the outer shell of the mushroom is one of the hardest organic compounds in nature!

Anyways thanks so much for reading and good day/night.

And last but not least, a cool theory for you :3

“The late ethnobiologist Terence Mckenna suggested that mushrooms are responsible for human intelligence as we know it. His theory hypothesized that mushroom spores possess all of the necessary requirements to travel on space currents. Furthermore, they could have settled in the brain matter of primitive humanoids and, following the lines of modern-day hallucinogenic mushrooms, directly contributed to our modern-day intelligence and self-awareness. Mckenna went on to theorize that mushrooms are the reason for human life on earth.” *

*  Explore Big Sky: Are mushrooms from outer space?

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This article was originally written as a school research project, then written as a Kids Corner post.  But what my daughter failed to mention is that mushrooms are yummy, appear in lots of our food and are nutrient dense.  We love them and are able to find fresh mushrooms throughout Mexico.

Both of our kids live with their giant breed, full blooded Great Dane and tiny kitty, cruising full time on a sailboat.  We’re getting ready to make the jump from Mexico to Costa Rica.  Got questions for boat kids or us adults?  Send them to us as we’d love t0 hear from you and will answer most all of our comments, when we have wifi and power!