Marvelous Mushrooms
The Week of August 18 - 24 we explore the marvelous mushroom and all the diverse uses of this small but mighty fungi.
Always growing: a dive back into the marvelous world of mushrooms
“Nature alone is antique, and the oldest art a mushroom.” - Thomas Carlyle, Scottish philosopher, and essayist Science is ever-changing. Scientists and physicians used to be sure that contagions and diseases were spread from person to person by smell. This was called the Miasma Theory, and Read More...
Unique study on psilocybin microdosing to commence in Australia
From treating depression to alleviating migraines, research has shown that psilocybin (magic mushrooms) has many healing properties. Still, there is so much to learn about this special psychedelic, which is why we’re excited to tell you about a novel study that is about to take place in Read More...
Yale study suggests psilocybin can help treat migraines
Before, we published the results of a new study that found psilocybin therapy to be four times more effective than antidepressants for treating major depression disorders (MDD). Staying within the theme of psilocybin research, we have news about a first-of-its-kind exploratory study that has Read More...
Oregon becomes first state to legalize access to magic mushrooms
Back in July, we informed our readers that Oregon would officially vote on legalizing psychedelic psilocybin therapy. Fast forward to today, and the results of that vote are in: adults in Oregon can now legally access hallucinogenic mushrooms. This is a big deal. The Optimist Daily has long been Read More...
Oregon will officially vote on legalizing psychedelic psilocybin therapy
Back in August 2019, we published a small story about activists in Oregon working to decriminalize the use of magic mushrooms (psilocybin). Today, we’re here to tell you that these activists have taken a big step towards achieving their legalization goal. After more than a year of work and Read More...
Seeking psychological healing? Psychedelic-assisted therapy can help
Ask anyone experimenting with psychedelics in the 1960s and they would tell you about the mystical experiences associated with tripping. Urban legends circulated, claiming that psychedelics could allow intrepid trippers to meet spirit guides, to travel to other dimensions, and even to know God. Read More...
Celebrate Fantastic Fungi Day with a home movie screening and director’s Q&A
Today is Fantastic Fungi Day! These impressive organisms work to recycle and decompose material in our ecosystems to make room for new growth. They connect to one another through extensive networks and some even provide amazing health and nutrition benefits to humans. At a time when humanity Read More...
4 magnificent mushrooms to boost your immune system
We at the Optimist Daily have long shared our love of mushrooms. They have been used for health purposes for thousands of years, both mentally and physically. Today, we take a look at four varieties of mushrooms which can boost your immune system to keep you healthy this cold and flu Read More...
We cannot overestimate how important fungi is for storing carbon in soil
Humans have long relied on fungi for sustenance and, er, inspiration. With that said, scientists are only just discovering how incredibly important fungi are for the Earth’s ability to store carbon. Human activity, especially large-scale agriculture, has severely affected a delicate and Read More...
Could magic mushrooms be the answer to depression?
Lying on a bed in London’s Hammersmith hospital ingesting capsules of psilocybin, the active ingredient of magic mushrooms, Michael had little idea what would happen next. The 56-year-old part-time website developer from County Durham in northern England had battled depression for 30 years and Read More...