Paul Stamets with Fomitopsis officinalis

Groundbreaking mycologist, Paul Stamets, is one of the few mushroom experts in the world often called “visionary,” whose attachment to that term has nothing to do with the psychotropic properties of some fungi. He’s one of the newest in a long line of thinkers who see far more benefits from understanding mushrooms than do most scientists, or the world at large.

He has his detractors and ardent supporters. I’m more of an observer. Longtime fdl readers know of my love of culinary mushrooms.

Stamets explains why mushrooms are so important in this talk, made available by TEDtalks:

The series – 20, Well, Maybe 12 Visionaries for 2012:

I’m going to profile some people whose ideas might help us unravel the Gordian Knot that societal progress has become, without having to slice that knot in the old way.

Visionary #2 will be paleontologist Peter Ward.