Psychedelics, mind control, radiation-eating: The secret superpowers of fungi

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Max Levy |

TED-Ed

• June 2026

The diverse fungal kingdom, which includes everything from baker’s yeast to edible mushrooms to foot infections, has long defied assumptions. Scientists estimate that somewhere between 2 and 12 million species of fungi remain undiscovered— either because they’re microscopic, live hidden within other species, or for other unknown reasons. Max G. Levy digs into the vast and wild world of fungi. [Directed by Petya Zlateva, Compote Collective, narrated by Addison Anderson, music by Big Banda Soundscapers].