Accessibility links
Fungi: The Good, The Bad And The Edible Though fungi is essential in the production of bread, beer and some cheeses, it can also be a threat to human life in the form of deadly disease and infection. Fungus experts discuss the diverse and complex nature of the underappreciated "fifth kingdom" of organisms.

Science

Fungi: The Good, The Bad And The Edible

Heard on Talk of the Nation

Fungi: The Good, The Bad And The Edible

Listen
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/94563054/94563042" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Though fungi is essential in the production of bread, beer and some cheeses, it can also be a threat to human life in the form of deadly disease and infection. Fungus experts discuss the diverse and complex nature of the underappreciated "fifth kingdom" of organisms.

Guests:

Kelli Hoover, associate professor of entomology at Penn State University

Arturo Casadevall, principal investigator, chairman of the Department of Microbiology & Immunology, professor of infectious diseases in the Department of Medicine, and a professor in the Division of Infectious Diseases at Albert Einstein College of Medicine.

David Fischer, is a mycologist for AmericanMushrooms.com, author of Edible Wild Mushrooms of North America; coauthor of Mushrooms of Northeastern North America

Kathie Hodge, associate professor of mycology at Cornell University