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The Magic of Mushrooms

Richard Fortey explores the strange and surprising science of fungi, unlocking the story of their evolution, their mysterious life cycle and their value to both the planet and us.

Professor Richard Fortey delves into the fascinating and normally hidden kingdom of fungi. From their spectacular birth, through their secretive underground life to their final explosive death, Richard reveals a remarkable world that few of us understand or even realise exists - yet all life on earth depends on it.

In a specially built mushroom lab, with the help of mycologist Dr Patrick Hickey and some state-of-the-art technology, Richard brings to life the secret world of mushrooms as never seen before and reveals the spectacular abilities of fungi to break down waste and sustain new plant life, keeping our planet alive.

Beyond the lab, Richard travels across Britain and beyond to show us the biggest, fastest and most deadly organisms on the planet - all of them fungi. He reveals their almost magical powers that have world-changing potential - opening up new frontiers in science, medicine and technology.

58 minutes

Last on

Thu 26 Oct 2023 23:55
BBC Four

Clips

See all clips from The Magic of Mushrooms (2)

Music Played

Timings (where shown) are from the start of the programme in hours and minutes

  • 00:14

    Sigur Rós

    Svefn-g-englar

  • 00:17

    Goldfrapp

    Voicething

  • 00:20

    John Murphy & David Hughes

    Zorba The Greek

  • 00:39

    Radiohead

    No Surprises

  • 00:46

    The Divine Comedy

    Our Mutual Friend

Credits

Presenter Richard Fortey
Executive Producer Jacqueline Smith
Producer Russell Leven

Broadcasts