8 Eye-Opening Documentaries about Mushrooms and Psilocybin

Intro: Documentaries about Mushrooms

Did you know that mushrooms are one the earliest fungi that grow on land? Ancient Greeks found that mushrooms gave them the strength to be well-prepared for their battles. On the other hand, Romans believe that it is a “Food for the Gods.”

Each time you buy a bag of mushrooms from the supermarket, have you ever thought about why it is called a mushroom or what is its importance in our ecosystem? Those who consume mushrooms multiple times in a week definitely want to know additional information about these fungi.

To help you out, we have prepared a list of the top documentaries about fungi. Click each link below to watch.

1. How fungi changed my view of the world - Documentaries about Mushrooms

How Fungi Changed my View of the World is one of the most detailed and informative documentaries on fungi. This documentary was prepared by Stephen Axford with the help of Catherine Marciniak, his filmmaker partner.

Axford has years of expertise in taking time-lapse videos and macro photography. He used his skill in macrophotography to take stunning and beautiful photos of a large selection of mushrooms. Considering the scientific accuracy of fungi photography performed by Axford, his photos and videos caught the attention of international and national media, the general public, and the fungi experts.

In this documentary, Axford shared several pictures of different types of mushrooms. Each picture looks stunning and will surely captivate everyone’s eyes. He also stated that most fungi are edible, but there are some that you should be mindful of. Axford describes each type of mushroom he captured in the forest.

2. Fungus: The 3rd kingdom

Fungus: The 3rd Kingdom is another interesting psilocybin documentary. This documentary includes lots of time-lapse videos about how mushrooms grow and several pictures highlighting different species of the said fungi.

One of the best things about this documentary is that each scientist has their own explanation about these fungi. They also explained how fungi constantly change their body structure, unlike other plants. Many individuals who have watched this documentary claimed that this documentary made them more interested and fascinated with fungi.

Beyond that, the microbial explorers also shared how different species of mushrooms could change the world and people’s lives. They also claimed that fungi are really beneficial for people.

3. The Magic of Mushrooms - Documentaries about Mushrooms

The Magic of Mushrooms is a documentary hosted by Professor Richard Fortey. In this documentary, Professor Fortey claimed how mushrooms fascinated him. He also exposed that he loved collecting different types of fungi and studying them.

This documentary encourages you to join Professor Fortey as he searches through the fascinating and hidden world of fungi. The Magic of Mushrooms is a spectacular documentary that covers the birth of these species through their underground life up to their final death.

In this documentary, Professor Fortey revealed an astonishing world that only a few individuals realize exists and understand how it exists. Although mushrooms are a very tiny species of fungi, it plays a big role in Earth’s sustainability.

4. The Magic Mushrooms Revolution - Mushrooms Documentaries

The Magic Mushrooms Revolution is a documentary made by a group of explorers who want to dig for more information about the so-called “magic mushrooms” seen in Denver. This documentary shows the decriminalizing of these magic mushrooms found in the said country.

Today, almost 100 cities are now proposing similar propositions, laws, and proposals about these fungi. Aside from that, the Food and Drug Administration also declared that these magic mushrooms consist of medicinal properties known to treat dementia, Alzheimer’s, seizures, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, and depression.

Join this group of explorers as they look for more information about Denver’s “magic mushrooms.”

5. Discover Mushrooms - Documentaries on Mushrooms

Discover Mushrooms is a documentary composed of several parts. This doc is prepared by Aaron Hilliard, a prominent filmmaker, together with Kitsap Peninsula Mycological Society. This amazing documentary will help you to have a better understanding of the history of mushrooms.

Although this is only a 45-minute documentary, it is packed with a lot of information that will feed your hungry minds. One of the things you will love about this documentary is that viewers can witness up close how a mushroom is formed, thanks to the filmmaker’s high-speed and time-lapse photography.

Aside from showing you how fungi are formed, this documentary also focuses on what will happen beneath it, which your naked eyes cannot see. This 45-minute documentary is quite short but will surely give you loads of details that will sharpen your understanding of mushrooms.

6. A New Understanding: The Science of Psilocybin - Mushrooms Documentaries

A New Understanding: The Science of Psilocybin is a full documentary about mushrooms. The group of scientists and other experts work together to explore more about the treatment of cancer using psilocybin. If you don’t know yet, psilocybin is a psychoactive compound in some varieties of mushrooms.

This well-detailed documentary shows you the importance of connecting spirituality and science in this initial psychedelic research that started in the 1970s concerning terminally ill individuals.

As a society, many of our professionals devote all their time to finding solutions to treat cancer. Unfortunately, the progress in this research is very minimal. The re-emergence of psychedelic research has revealed how psilocybin, a powerful compound, can change terminally ill patients’ perceptions about life and death.

This documentary covers how the researchers and scientists examine the possible use of psilocybin in a controlled environment to minimize physical pain, depression, and psychospiritual anxiety.

The main goal of this treatment is to give patients a better understanding that ‘good’ death is possible. Beyond that, it also aims to help the patient’s family in their recovery process.

After watching this documentary, a lot of its viewers commented that it would be great if the government would legalize the propagation of recreational psilocybin mushrooms.

7. Sacred Mushroom: A Lost History - Documentaries on Mushrooms

Another full documentary on mushrooms is “Sacred Mushroom: A Lost History.” This film documentary covers how mushrooms are considered sacred and their sacramental uses. Aside from that, the characters involved in this documentary also examine all the collected pieces of evidence for mushroom use in Ancient China, India, and Egypt.

In this documentary, you will find a lot of information about mushrooms that other books and film documentaries did not cover. From the first five minutes of this video, you can say how the information presented was diligently researched. You will be amazed by how ancient people in India, China, and Egypt used these fungi for their daily living.

If you are studying history, this is one of the most recommended documentaries you should watch and share with your classmates.

8. Psilocybin Medical Trial: The Healing Mushrooms - Psilocybin Documentary

Have you ever thought that mushrooms contain one of the powerful psychoactive ingredients that could possibly heal those patients with a terminal illness? Most of you may think that mushroom is just like a species of fungi with no use. But did you know that many medical experts have allotted most of their time studying the medical properties of the psychoactive ingredient found in these fungi?

This documentary shows that mushrooms contain psilocybin, which is a psychoactive ingredient you can find in magic mushrooms that were first seen in Denver. This psychoactive ingredient is believed to treat patients who are suffering from clinical depression.

This film documentary involves three volunteers with clinical depression together with their families. The film also shows the dedicated researchers who are conducting the trial with the hope of developing a treatment that could change millions of lives around the world.

Considering the several scenes where you can see the ‘trips’ of the patients and different interviews that offer political and scientific context, we can say that this intimate film documentary displays the human cost of depression. It is also considered a motivational video for those individuals suffering from any type of terminal illness. The main message of this documentary is that our medical experts are doing their best to find the right treatment to use to heal their patients.

Documentaries about Mushrooms: Conclusions

We cannot deny that most of us don’t pay much attention to the little things surrounding us, especially mushrooms. But if you are going to watch the aforementioned documentaries, you will realize that these tiny things can create a big difference in everyone’s life.

If you are taking courses related to the science and medical industry, we highly recommend you to watch these documentaries. Each documentary about mushrooms is packed with healthy information about the fungi. Beyond that, each features interesting clips and images of mushrooms that will surely captivate your attention.

So, if you enjoyed these documentaries, why not share them with other individuals you know who are also interested in digging more information about mushrooms. They are perfect for anyone who wants to enlighten their mind about the purpose of these fungi on this planet. Do not forget to tell your loved ones about the lessons you learned from these documentaries!

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Picture credits: @phienix_han on Unsplash