Join us as we dive into the hidden world of psychedelic fungi — uncovering the evolution of psilocybin, the science behind its effects, & the surprising discovery of gene sharing among fungi.

Topics Discussed: Mushroom cultivation, evolution of psychedelic fungi, horizontal gene transfer, academic mycology programs, stoned ape hypothesis, the ecological role of psychedelic fungi, and more.

Justin, Ro, and James sit down with Dr. Jason Slot, Associate Professor of Fungal Evolutionary Genomics at The Ohio State University.

Dr. Slot is affiliated with the Center for Psychedelic Drug Research and Education and the Entheome Foundation. He coordinates the mycology minor at Ohio State and has made groundbreaking discoveries in the evolution of psilocybin-producing fungi.

In this episode, we explore the origins and ecological roles of psilocybin, the phenomenon of horizontal gene transfer, and the hurdles faced by researchers due to regulatory constraints.

Dr. Slot's insights provide a deeper understanding of the mysterious and complex world of psychedelic fungi.

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Articles by Dr. Jason Slot

1. Horizontal gene cluster transfer increased hallucinogenic mushroom diversity (2018)
2. Psychedemia: Charting the future of interdisciplinary Psychedelic Studies (2023)
3. Domestication through clandestine cultivation constrained genetic diversity in magic mushrooms relative to naturalized populations (2023)
4. The evolution and ecology of psilocybin in nature (2023)
5. Genome sequencing progenies of magic mushrooms (Psilocybe subaeruginosa) identifies tetrapolar mating and gene duplications in the psilocybin pathway (2023)
6. Plant-fungal mutualisms (2022)
7. Reconstructing the early evolution of Fungi using a six-gene phylogeny (2006)
8. The Paleozoic Origin of Enzymatic Lignin Decomposition Reconstructed from 31 Fungal Genomes (2012)
9. The Evolution of Fungal Metabolic Pathways (2014)

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