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The more we know about mushrooms, the less makes sense without them.

They are neither plants nor animals. They grow through the soil, they fly through the air and they 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 revel in radioactive radiation. In fact, all life on Earth depends on them to a greater or lesser extent.

They are organisms that never cease to amaze us. They may not have brains, but they can solve problems and influence animal behaviour with shocking accuracy. Through bread, alcohol and life-saving drugs, they have made an indelible mark on the shape of human culture, and recent research has confirmed that their psychoactive properties alleviate many mental ailments. The latest breakthrough technologies are building on their ability to break down plastics, explosives, pesticides and crude oil, and the discovery that they link plants under the surface into underground networks - the 'forest internet' - is revolutionising our understanding of ecosystems. Yet more than ninety percent of fungal species have not yet been documented.

An excerpt from the book can be viewed here.