Exploring the Magic of Fungi with Citizen Scientist William Padilla Brow

Summary

William Padilla Brow, a multidisciplinary citizen scientist, and founder of Mycosymbiotics and MycoFes, has cultivated hundreds and thousands of mushrooms from dozens of species. He has taught himself how to turn them into extract, tincture, and even DNA barcoding them. Through his work, William aims to explore the magic of fungi, and his insight and knowledge enable him to see and study what most people cannot. In this article, we explore William’s journey and his fascination with mushrooms, how he cultivates them, the value they hold, and his vision for encouraging more people to take their education into their own hands, operating from a more decentralized standpoint.

Cultivating Mushrooms with William Padilla Brow

William Padilla Brow has cultivated about 38 species of mushroom, including the coral mushroom, turkey tail mushroom, reishi mushroom, and oyster mushroom. He finds it imperative to understand the source of what he consumes and cultivate organic food. William’s approach to mushroom cultivation is a meticulous process that requires precision and care. For instance, to avoid contamination of his samples, he uses masks and sterilizes his equipment.

Mushrooms Around Us

William contends that all mushrooms are magical, yet there is a widespread fear of them. Some people think that mushrooms are toxic, while others have only heard about magic mushrooms. William sees this as an opportunity to demystify mushrooms and foster a deeper understanding of their value. He notes that mushrooms can grow on dead and dying materials like logs, and some cultures and individuals eat them. One of his favorite edible mushrooms is lactiflouce volumi, which he uses to make chili.

Discovering Mushrooms in the Wild

William’s pursuit of the magic of fungi has taken him far from the hum of electric light. He often ventures into beautiful hemlock-dominant forests along the Appalachian Range, along the Susquehanna River, to find good mushroom specimens that he can bring to his lab. For instance, he found the golden thread cordyceps growing on a little truffle ball. He carries some mushroom species in bags so that their spores are released, allowing them to reproduce. While foraging, William is very attuned to spotting these small natural marvels from a distance.

Finding Value in Mushrooms

William carries out valuable research to create new cultures for people to farm, thus creating value for themselves and their families. He believes that mushrooms are highly valued for their immunological support and antioxidants effect. Thus, he has dedicated much of his effort to developing more literacy around mycology, so there are more nerds to hang out with. William sees working with natural designs as more resilient and effective and advocates for more people to take their education into their hands.

Cloning Mushrooms

Cloning mushrooms can be challenging, considering that the mushroom’s mycelium is dense and on the insect’s like the orange tip oak worm moth is highly entomopathogenic. Nonetheless, William has developed a meticulous technique for cloning and growing mushrooms. He sterilizes his scalpel and then picks out mycelium samples in alcohol paper towels. He uses the sample to replicate the entire organism.

The Magic of DNA Sequencers

William’s recent studies into the DNA of mushrooms have led him to discover portable DNA sequencers. He purchased one using his stimulus checks and spent a month teaching himself how to work with polymerase chain reaction, gel electrophoresis, and DNA sequencing. William believes that with the increasing awareness of the stories nature holds, we will have more respect for all life.

Conclusion

William Padilla Brow has dedicated his life to exploring the magic of fungi. He believes that working with natural designs will lead to resilience and efficacy in our systems. His journey highlights the importance of pursuing our passion, educating ourselves, and sharing knowledge with others.