Jasmin Kapsal’s Reviews > Entangled Life > Status Update

It makes a lot of sense that mycorrhizal fungi had a big role to play in the carbon levels of the prehistoric atmosphere. I had no idea that the mycorrhizal fungi involved with a plant directly impacts both its appearance and taste. It’s interesting to know just how sophisticated and complex mycorrhizal fungi are and it’s really worrying how we’re completely neglecting them in agricultural practices.

It’s so cool how cordycepts infects ant, this whole time I thought they infected the brain. Learning about how psilocybin was perceived, used over time and became widespread was also very interesting, specifically reading about how it affected different people and how they became enchanted by it. I really do wonder if we see the world at its truest when using psychedelics. This is by far my favourite chapter

I found it so interesting how humans use fungal networks to identify the most efficient routes and I didn’t know you find more mushrooms after rain because the hyphae inflate with water but it makes so much sense. A lot of these things we observe but just take it as is instead of trying to understand why it happens. This book makes me think more of why things happen and I love it for that.

So far this book is a 10/10. I love how Merlin narrates both his stories and factual information. It’s really easy to digest, I feel like sometimes non fiction books can be too confusing because they’re so wordy and the author wants to come off as intellectual. I had no idea that some fungi hunt nematodes. That’s so interesting

I’m hooked. The way he’s so passionate impassions me too. Im already learning new things about fungi and symbiotic relationships, I had no idea leafcutter ants were feeding a fungi. I thought they were storing food for themselves. I also had some knowledge about how extensive fungal networks could be but I had no idea they bleed into every single aspect of life. I’m can’t wait to read more of this book