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There’s Always Room for Mushrooms!

            When most people think about mushrooms the first thing that comes to mind is as a topping. Few people stop to think about the origin of mushrooms or how they might be utilized to help save the world. One scientist did just that though: Paul Stamets presented at TED talks a very interesting proposal about mushrooms and how they are past masters from internet to recycling. Currently mushrooms are being used in experiments to decompose plastics and to help clean up oil spills. By having the mushrooms use the compounds that make up the oil and plastic as a food source they mushrooms can literally digest the plastic in landfills or the oil in the spills. This is a fascinating area of study and one which has been showing a great deal of promise in the field of environmentalism. Some recent experiments into utilizing mushrooms to their fullest potential include a dramatic example of mushroom spores being introduced to a crude oil contaminated pile of soil. The spores took root and began to consume the carbon bonds that hold the oil molecules together, then as the mushrooms died off they gave way for a whole new ecosystem to take over. After several weeks the dirt pile was transformed into an oasis of green vegetation. This is one example where mushrooms would be able to do much for the environment. Another area that is being explored is their use as a fuel source called Econol. Yet another way in which mushrooms are being used is by decomposing plastic. Until recently plastic was thought to take from anywhere around hundreds of years to thousands of years to decompose naturally. However a new discovery in the rain forest of a very rare mushroom that can actually consume and break down plastic has changed that number drastically. By using a variant of this mushroom species a new technology is being developed to turn waist plastic in to a food source for people. The special incubator consumes the plastic leaving behind something that can be eaten by humans. This is a very promising venture that may be able to eventually be able to solve too big problems that we face today, world hunger and overflowing landfills. While this concept is still a long way off from making it into our everyday lives, it’s still a fascinating idea that has the capability of changing the world for the better or the worse. (One step closer to Soylent Green..)

In short mushrooms may hold the key to the future of mankind; they have existed on the earth for longer than any other organism and show no signs of stopping anytime soon.  Mushrooms and fungi have the potential to change the way we live, from how we power our machines to what we eat. They developed the first internet, and are capable of cleaning up our messes from oil spills to landfills. Over the next several years it will be interesting to watch the progress of the mushroom in out day to day lives.

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Vaccines: More harm than good?

                Vaccines have been used in one form or another for a very long time going back as far as 1000 CE with early Chinese inoculations. From very early on humans have identified a need to eradicate disease and sickness. The best way to do this is by vaccinating the population and building antibodies against the various types of illnesses. Only recently have we as a people been able to exterminate whole diseases such as Smallpox and until last year Measles. The way vaccines work is by injecting or exposing our bodies to either weak or dead versions of the virus that we are targeting. Our bodies are then able to identify and develop antibodies for those viruses thus protecting us from the full strength version. After several generations of inoculations, the affronting virus then dies off being another page in the history books. Since a vaccine is literally injecting a version of a deadly virus into our bodies there are some side effects. These side effects are typical of an immune system response like fever, or weak symptoms of the original virus. This can be expected, so when we go out and get a flu shot its perfectly normal to feel a little sick for a couple days after words. You are after all purposely injecting yourself with different strains of the flu virus in an effort to avoid getting the full strength version. Why then is there a controversy behind vaccines? It seems that they are a pretty good thing, and help in the long run by exterminating horrible diseases. All of that is true, but the controversy is stemming from what else is in the vaccines, particularly the preservatives. One of the preservatives that is causing a big fuss is Thmerosal which is an organomercurial. Basically it’s an organic compound that contains mercury a known neurotoxin. There are many other toxic preservatives in vaccines that are linked to causing brain, muscle, bone, and connective tissue diseases. So why would all these known toxins be included in vaccines that are meant to protect people from illness? This is where the controversy comes into play with the deliberate concealment of data and information. Recently the Measles vaccine has been making headlines with concerns of the vaccine causing Autism. The concern is whether or not the MMR (Measles Mumps and Rubella) vaccine has something in it that is causing Autism in children. The main evidence behind this theory is correlation. As the MMR vaccine has been administered to more any more children under the age of two, the cases of Autism have been increasing in a one to one ratio. In 2014 a CNN iReport regarding the CDC covering up data that indicates a 340% increase of Autism cases among African American children who were given the MMR vaccine was released that sparked outrage and added fuel to the fire of vaccine controversy. Later this story proved to be false, but the idea behind it remained. Over the last few years a growing movement of Anti-Vaxxers has developed, these people refuse to receive any vaccine or inoculation. While it’s their choice whether or not to take a vaccine, the implications of their choice has led to an outbreak of Measles a disease that in 2000 was declared eradicated in the United States. Because a few people decided not to take a vaccine a once dead illness reemerged and is once again threatening populations. The question now is whether or not you should be able to opt out of a vaccine without a medical exemption. Public schools and pediatricians are now requiring proof of vaccination for children before they are admitted, and rejected if their parents are unable to provide that proof. This is being done to protect the other children from potential carriers of diseases as a result of them not getting vaccinated. Over the next several months to years these questions and others are going to be raised, and it is up to us to decide how to interpret the data.

*Personal Opinion*

We have been getting vaccines for a very long time; I have been getting vaccinations, and immunizations all my life. While the controversy has always existed only recently has it reemerged to the headlines. While I will admit that there are awful lot correlations between vaccines and complications, correlation does not equal causation. What we need to see in the months and years to come is transparency with the CDC and FDA in regards to what the data is really saying. There should also be changes to what can and cannot be added to vaccines to act as preservatives. In my opinion I would like to have all the facts and to know why some of the facts are being obscured. Everyone is entitled to his or her own opinion: this is mine.