What makes the Fly Agaric the most iconic mushroom in the world? And why, despite its prominence, is it so poorly understood? Today on the show we are starting from the ground up to demystify the reputations of this mushroom with cultural anthropologist, Kevin Feeney, PhD. In his book "Fly Agaric: A Compendium of History, Pharmacology, Mythology, & Exploration" Kevin has elaborated on nearly every aspect of this mushroom, finally providing comprehensive literature on this species. We take these 450 pages and present bite-sized answers to all of your Fly Agaric questions.Topics Covered:Ecology, geography, and mycology of Amanita muscaria The etymology of The Fly AgaricPrevalence in pop culture and pedestrian use amanita imagery Pharmacology, especially muscimol & ibotenic acidSoma, and the parallels of this sacred drink and the Fly AgaricMotifs and archeological evidence of amanita muscaria in ritual useGordon Wasson's influence on interpreting Soma, Viking Berserkers and moreShow notes:Kevin's Book "Fly Agaric: A Compendium of History, Pharmacology, Mythology & Exploration" : https://www.amazon.com/Fly-Agaric-Compendium-Pharmacology-Exploration/dp/0578714426Sacred Plants of the Americas Conference: https://chacruna.net/sacred-plants-americas-2-conference/Kevin's profile: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Kevin-FeeneySoma: https://www.britannica.com/topic/soma-HinduismAmanita muscaria profile: http://www.mushroomexpert.com/amanita_muscaria_muscaria.htmlGordon Wasson's Soma Report: https://www.amazon.com/Soma-Mushroom-Immortality-Ethno-Mycological-Studies/dp/0156838001