When you look at these incredible close-up shots of fungi and slime molds by photographer and amateur mycologist Max Mudie, you realize that we don't have to go looking for bizarre alien life on other planets: there's plenty of it in our forests. (See also coral reefs, tbh.) Check out more of Mudie's work on Instagram.

I'm almost positive I've featured the photograph at the top of the post before (but can't find where), but I love it so much I'm featuring it again.

See also Alison Pollack's work. (via colossal)

• fungi
• Max Mudie
• photography

Using foraged mushrooms, berries, leaves, moss, and other natural materials, Heather Brooks makes these lovely and lively colorful collages, which she displays on Instagram and offers prints of on Etsy and on her website. (via life is so beautiful)

• art
• fungi
• Heather Brooks

That's the trailer for Fantastic Fungi, a feature-length documentary about the worldwide network of mushrooms & mycelium that thrives beneath our feet. Here's a description of what the film covers, from its companion book:

Fantastic Fungi is at the forefront of a mycological revolution that is quickly going mainstream. In this book, learn about the incredible communication network of mycelium under our feet, which has the proven ability to restore the planet's ecosystems, repair our health, and resurrect our symbiotic relationship with nature. Fantastic Fungi aspires to educate and inspire the reader in three critical areas: First, the text showcases research that reveals mushrooms as a viable alternative to Western pharmacology. Second, it explores studies pointing to mycelium as a solution to our gravest environmental challenges. And, finally, it details fungi's marvelous proven ability to shift consciousness.

In a review for RogerEbert.com, Matt Fagerholm called the film "one of the year's most mind-blowing, soul-cleansing and yes, immensely entertaining triumphs". (via colossal)

• Fantastic Fungi
• fungi
• movies
• trailers
• video

To finish the week, some absolutely gorgeous mushroom and myxomycetes pictures by Photographer Alison Pollack who gets close to the ground with a magnifying glass to find her subjects.

The smaller they are, the more challenging they are to photograph, but I absolutely love the challenge, [m]y goal is to show people the beauty of these tiny treasures that are all around the forest but barely visible unless you look very very closely.

• Alison Pollack
• fungi
• photography