The more we know about mushrooms, the less it makes sense without them. It is neither a plant nor an animal. They grow through the soil, fly in the air and live in our bodies. They range in size from microscopic creatures to the largest known organisms in the world. They were at the origin of life on land, can survive in open space, and thrive on radioactive radiation. And in fact, to a greater or lesser extent, all life on Earth depends on them. They are organisms that never cease to surprise us. They may not have brains, but they can solve problems and influence the behavior of animals with shocking precision. Through bread, alcohol and life-saving medicines, they have left an indelible mark on human culture, and recent research has confirmed that their psychoactive properties relieve a number of mental health problems. Their ability to break down plastics, explosives, pesticides, and crude oil is underpinning the latest breakthrough technologies, and the discovery that they are connecting plants to underground networks — the "forest internet" — is upsetting our understanding of ecosystems. Still, more than ninety percent of fungal species have not yet been documented.  Hardcover, 320 pages + 16 colour supplement,   Format: 17 x 24 cm