This Ice-Man Knew About the Hoof Fungus - Do You?

The story of Otzi the iceman is super cool because he had two different types of fungi with him. If you don't already know the hoof fungus / tinder fungus / false tinder fungus (Fomes fomentarius), then I encourage you to watch this. It may be on the tree in your front yard right now! Plus, you can make a hat out of it!
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[@royhurley7572]

"Entangled" is a great book to read if you want to be blown away by the ways fungi impact and envelope our lives and planet. Big fan of Otzi and mushrooms, so a great video. Thanks!

[@yogendermohan]

Just ordered one !

[@alexmushroomfloki]

Entangled is a brilliant and informative read +1

[@Wesz808]

Best book on the subject! And yes, i've read Stamets. This is much more fun to read.

[@tomevans4402]

Going to read it thank you

[@donaldmatthies6026]

@Roy Hurley, is it entangled or entangled life, I'm curious as I have the entangled life book, maybe there is a better book out there.

[@modestgrower2017]

Crazy how I learned about the iceman in school and don't remember them even touching on the fact that he had mushrooms with him. Public education can have serious blindspots

[@R0jiv4]

It can also be deliberate

[@tatfly5779]

@@GeorgeWashingtonLaserMusket Funny(sad) considering it is the blacks who twist education nowadays.

[@tobyhorn9641]

@@tatfly5779 yeah but where I grew up it was the churches and the chicken plant that ran the whole town

[@evilmonkey8752]

They said he had no pockets

[@theapexsurvivor9538]

@@GeorgeWashingtonLaserMusket it ain't just the US or the south. Down in Aus we've got a rich combination of soccer mums, woke progressive types, and pearl clutchers of all walks doing what they can to make sure that you get indoctrinated with their beliefs and misinformation. The worst part is that here at least, you've got hospitals handing out completely false information that several of the doctors believe regarding medicinal plants and chemicals. (Still can't get over being told that Amanita's were lethal and that all MDMA contains bleach and was made in toilets).

[@trazcotraz2798]

In my parts of world this mushroom is called "horse's shoe" and was (is) used for making bandages for bleeding and/or infected wounds, fire-bricks, etc., even to dry it and make a type of flour for thin little bread in combination with all kinds of nuts and forest fruits and the receipts are from Daco-Thracians old. My grandmother saved our family from after-WWII (4 years) hunger with this mushroom knowledge and many other things that she know about the forests. She use to say: "if you are living in a forest, not the cold or the hunger, or the wildness will kill you, only your fear and stupidity". The ones in your video are small. In our forests this mushrooms are 2 to 4 time larger. The larger that I find was about 50-60cm large.

[@dianaanthony2981]

I love hearing stories about your grandmother. I love that you know who your ancestry are. Write them down and pass them around please!

[@mollymillions6586]

That is so cool, thank you for sharing!

[@jackblackpowderprepper4940]

Thank you for the knowledge and sharing this story.

[@edwardmarshall2035]

Hoof means a horse's foot.

[@alexandrutereify]

se stie

[@martinjansson1970]

1:20 they are also used as floats, for fishing, to stick sharp objects, like needles, into, for safer carrying, and their smoke is used as a repellant against mosquitos. Because of their ability to firmly hold things you stick into them, you can also put burning sticks in them and use them as lamps, either hang them up on a string, or hock them up on a nail, or against the trunk of a tree, on a sharpened tree branch. You can also make kindle with them, but it involves *a lot* of preparation, and isn't as good as other sources of kindle. Prepared as a tea, it is said to be good for your teeth. You can also carve balls, and other toys out of them. Never heard about them being used against roundworm. But if you say so. So it's a useful fungus. Who knows for what purpose Ötzi had it.

[@alexanderdonnelly424]

He used it to transport fire with him!

[@commonconservative7551]

wow

[@commonconservative7551]

you could be tracked if u carry it lit, and cigar is so much nicer than bug repel

[@SarcasmicGlory]

@@commonconservative7551 it only carries embers and you can cover it up and it will smoulder for hours 😊👍

[@user-unfound33]

I have had a great relationship with mushrooms since I was 16. 😂 Some have been more magical than others. Great educational video!

[@jadenail]

Yes, I do. I'm waiting for my tea made of it to cool a bit so I can drink it. Right now.

[@UntamedScience]

Hoof fungi tea?

[@jadenail]

@@UntamedScience emmm, actually not... I didn't watch a second of this video before posting my comment. I assumed you mean birch polypore and only birch polypore. I didn't know ozi had one more mushroom.

[@user-cm7hs4rs5z]

How did you make it

[@yukonjeffimagery]

Those hoofed mushrooms are called Punk here in western Alaska. They are still used today for making chewing tobacco. Called Black Bull, or Ikmik. Its burned to ash and mixed with fire cured tobacco leaves. It has a very pungent oder when burned and is used to keep mosquitoes away as well.

[@daniel.lopresti]

You're right, that IS a funghi looking hat he's wearing there.

[@__-pl3jg]

Me seeing the video title just now.... "An Ice man knew about the hoof fungus? I want to know about the hoof fungus! Whats hoof fungus?!"

[@UntamedScience]

Hah. That tells me the title worked as intended. 🤓🤷🏻‍♂️

[@HumblyNeil]

This is awesome, thanks Rob!

[@Rul-fm2sh]

Super cool footage and edition. Very impressive!

[@jessicawhite1598]

Really enjoying all your videos! I’m going to have to go back to the archives and catch up!! Thank you so much! You are doing a beautiful job!!

[@UntamedScience]

Thanks! 🤘

[@vash3860]

1:05 is one of the coolest shots outside a video game I've seen in a long time. "The Stoned Age" examines the history of mushrooms and how they played a role in out evolution. Awesome video!

[@vicciphillips6861]

Thank you for the videos and information you provide.

[@bnamesmith]

Just discovered your channel! So good, looking forward to watching your other videos, keep up the good work :)

[@Rr0gu3_5uture]

They're in the British Army survival book as a source of sterile dressings and for knife sharpening amongst other things. I used a bunch of them on a camping trip to keep my fire going overnight.

[@Veptis]

It being used to "treat" cancer is a surprising fact. I live close by the Neandertal and have been to the museum. And they had a small section to showcase Ötzi as well. But I don't recall seeing or reading specifics about the mushroom. There was a point being made about the fabricant techniques for tools and clothes tho which was fascinating. I have seen these types of mushrooms around here in different places. And even tried to burn one.

[@robertmombourquette8142]

Absolutely wonderful drone shots, beautiful

[@jdwilsun]

That tinder is used to start fire not carry it from one place to another.

[@azilbean]

Great video from beginning to end! Interesting and entertaining.

[@UntamedScience]

Thanks Liza

[@bradlafferty]

Excellent presentation! Well presented. Thanks.

[@garyevans9342]

👆i strongly recommend him he's trustworthy he ship to any location man he got all kinds of psychedelic product stuff's!

[@sillydog70]

Loved this video ! Been seeing those mushrooms on the side of trees for years I always wondered if they were good for anything

[@TheOtherMontoya]

Holy shit Rob, I've been treating myself with the freshcap stuff too. So far, I've loved it. Big fan of the channel, always learning something new. From Idaho, RM

[@UntamedScience]

Same. Love the medicinal mushrooms from Freshcap. Thanks for that comment!

[@LiveInTheWilderness]

Beautiful, thanks for the knowledge brother 🙏💙🌿

[@CHITOWNDEECON1]

Birch polypore also kills cancer, parasites and boosts the immune system

[@HamiltonsMushroomExtracts]

i love Otzi! Thanks for the Mind Mix product shot at the end!

[@UntamedScience]

It’s great stuff. That’s why it’s in the mix!

[@bartleblans6570]

This makes walking in the woods such an adventure. Paul Stamets and all you guys have changed the way I look at nature completely.

[@UntamedScience]

YES! That's exactly how I see it. I tell my kids a walk in the woods is a bit like pokemon in real life. Thanks for that comment!

[@TalaAtTanagra]

I see you're using Freshcap products. I love his channel (and yours)! Loving the mushroom content.

[@UntamedScience]

Me too. I just had a video chat with Tony. He’s helping me sort through the clinical trials and science based info on mushrooms for the next video!

[@zeez9053]

Man you don’t Mess about getting the hardcore info out there for the people . 👍🇬🇧🤘

[@canadianproudgetoutdoors]

JUST SUBSCRIBED wow loving your vids keep it up ! 💯 interesting and informative right till the end 👍 much love from Canadian proud get outdoors 🙏

[@kyleharvey7988]

Awesome videos! I took micronized mushrooms in my coffee for 2 weeks or so, family got covid and I felt pretty normal compared to the rest of us. Cool youbhad that in your video!

[@austintrousdale2397]

Thanks for the economic mycology and history lesson!This Charleston-area resident hopes you and your family feel better soon and have a much healthier and happier rest of 2022 🍄🌴🌱🌼✌️

[@UntamedScience]

By the time I finished the edit I got better. Thanks. 🙏✌️

[@chantalrochon3566]

Very interesting video, thank you!

[@Wesz808]

I think the chances are small that he used it for medicinal purposes. It's a nice story but we have evidence that it was used for tinder. He probably wasn't even aware that he had whipworm. I grow my own mushrooms and make a daily cup of tea with reishi and lion's mane. I use a magical butter machine for tea. It blends and keeps it at a temperature (in this instance 88c or 190f) for an hour. Use a polyester filterbag to strain (much cleaner than cheese cloth) and voila perfect tea with all the water soluble compounds. There was a period in my country where a lot of birches were removed. Fungi-wise it's probably the most important tree. Luckily they grow back faster than oaks and beech. Awesome video!

[@UntamedScience]

You could be right. The evidence seems to point to hoof fungus being used as a tinder. I’m more convinced with the coincidental evidence of birch polypore being used as a medicine though.

[@gerwoman4289]

A lot of fungi was used topically as well...

[@ThePickledsoul]

i hope you don't mind the microplastics from the polyester.

[@ambulocetusnatans]

@@UntamedScience I read a few years back that they found a Neanderthal jaw that had evidence of a certain type of mold similar to pencillin, between the teeth, that they think may have been chewed on to alleviate an infected tooth.

[@Wesz808]

@@ThePickledsoul Thank you for your passive aggressive comment. But hey, let me explain anyway. Polyester is strong but can shed microplastics. However there is a lot of friction needed. Breathing while wearing a polyester jacket will contain much more particles. My guess is that you don't walk up to people wearing jackets.. When used correctly polyester filter can actually capture microplastics.

[@kayden5238]

Thank you for this informative videos , i recently have gained an interest in herbalism but mushrooms scared me thinking about how dangerous they are so i didn't want to pick any but seeing your videos is giving me a greater understanding of them and in time i think will def help me gain the confidence in picking them. so thank you again sir.

[@UntamedScience]

That’s a very nice comment. Thank you. Mushrooms are fascinating and I wish you the best on your journey to understand them more. ;)

[@tobiasmhaase]

I love this new video! It catched me right from the beginning and was super informative. Well done, looking forward to your content this year 😊

[@UntamedScience]

Awesome! Thank you!

[@iahelcathartesaura3887]

What a surprise, you're in the mountains of NC :) Greetings from Asheville. I'm a WNC native. Thank your for this great video, subscribed!

[@richardburguillos3118]

Always learning with each video. Thanks! Really enjoy your art work as well. Great way to tell a story. How about Chaga? Is it also a mushroom? It’s used as a hot drink like coffee or tea. Any other properties?

[@UntamedScience]

I have a video planned on Chaga this year. Stay tuned. Yes, there are lots of great benefits from it and yes, it is a mushroom. ;)

[@ferebeefamily]

Thank you for the information.

[@Ecotasia]

I would love to learn some mushroom foraging stuff. This is an awesome tie in with what your channel name makes me think off and your goals for the channel.

[@UntamedScience]

Trying to stay on brand. You're right though, this is the best video topic. ;)

[@crazyonefrommom]

kzbin.info and this one kzbin.info

[@robo3644]

Can't wait to see the medicinal mushrooms video

[@UntamedScience]

Me too!

[@scrotusmaximus3043]

Imagine all the "trial and error" our ancestors had to undergo. How many simply ate horribly poisonous things out of desperation. Some lead us to things like this though, awesome. Ty for the video.

[@UntamedScience]

I think of that a lot!

[@gerwoman4289]

And do not forget...fungi could also rite you of difficult people 🙄

[@frederickvanpelt6393]

Maybe they observed other animals...

[@wulver810]

@@frederickvanpelt6393 yeah, I feel bad for whoever watched a Koala.

[@sodalitia]

Same happens today. How many doctor's second opinions and how many treatments people go through often before they get properly diagnosed today? Often too late. Often are medicated for the wrong thing for years.

[@richardmann3396]

Great stuff

[@andobtw8046]

I'm not sure if it's that exact type but there's a type of hoof fungus you can draw with just a stick no ink needed and it will last for years. My great grandfather used to do it and they're still on display in our cabin and they're at least 50 years old, the pictures still clear as ever.

[@tinpony9424]

When we were kids my dad (now 93) taught us about that. He learned it from his grandfather. We always called them "punks", though. I guess it's because they work like fireworks "punks" for carrying an ember.

[@PekkaTolvanen]

Ganoderma applanatum is pretty common for that.

[@neilbeni7744]

Man I love this channel.. 👊💥😁

[@UntamedScience]

🤓🤟

[@shawnkiesel5349]

Nice video dude..!

[@shakentosser]

See these at work all the time, fun to whittle into

[@mikepasiak2345]

You aware then Pyramids those on in Egypt are way older specifically water marks on Sphynx not mention Pyramids in BOSNIA

[@UntamedScience]

Thanks for this point. Probably missed the mark slightly on that comment then. Next time... :)

[@attilatech]

Amazing video and information. I was told several years ago that this tinder fungus can be used for making tea, similar to Chaga mushroom. I hope your next video will include some information about the benefits of chaga.

[@UntamedScience]

I’m doing one on chaga soon. 🤓✌️ I don’t have them here though since so need to travel north.

[@Sandwich13455]

I've subbed to this handsome fellow!

[@Nemoticon]

Thanks to Ray Mears, I learned about Hoof Fungas a while back. Very interesting stuff, the world of mushrooms and fungi is so varied and magnificent.

[@flashthompson7]

Blessed by this thank you. Not a common table discussion

[@garyevans9342]

👆i strongly recommend him he's trustworthy he ship to any location man he got all kinds of psychedelic product stuff's!

[@dianaanthony2981]

Thank you very much! You've stoked a huge upwelling of longing for the kinder climes where you can still experience rain and mist and smell the damp Forest floor exuding the perfume of it's microbiome.

[@volcanicruby774]

Been collecting these since I was a kid, lots of it around our cabin, some pretty huge and heavy.

[@thealchemistdaughter3405]

My Grandad used to collect theses every Sunday morning in the winter.. We called them tree mushrooms.. My mum and grandma would fry them in butter and fine black pepper.. Absolutely delicious 🤤..He always kept his collection area a secret and chose different areas at different times..for the reasons you said but also he said different light throughout the year changed the taste.. My Grandad died age 96 and had good health right to the last few weeks of life ..

[@UllyrWuldan]

This is awesome, you're talking about a mushroom just a couple miles from my home.

[@stephenhollinrake916]

I used the hoof fugus in Finland,, its definitely a fire 🔥 starter ,, , stay healthy stay outdoors avoid meds n central heating.. I think most wild foods are far healthier for us . ,

[@niteshades_promise]

fascinating. subscribed.🍻

[@zeez9053]

Hope you’ll make video on Siberian Chaga. That would be so cool

[@e.g.m6598]

Hello and thank you. Beyond grateful sponsorship, do u actually recommend those presented brands for their weight/content and quality? Thank you.

[@UntamedScience]

They’re not sponsored, but yes I researched them all. I also talked directly to Hamilton and Freshcap. They are legit.

[@francishatton6683]

The birch pollipore is also a great tinder and in Switzerland they use it to polish gold watches..we call it the razor strop..

[@JerseyJay1]

Great video. Great addition to the survival arsenal.

[@UntamedScience]

Agreed

[@JerseyJay1]

@@UntamedScience could you do a video on Indian pipe in the spring? I'm going to attempt to make my own tincture. But anything you could add to my methods or processing would be great. Thanks again! Keep up the great work.

[@UntamedScience]

@@JerseyJay1 adding to the list. If you figure it out let me know.

[@JerseyJay1]

@@UntamedScience im going to attempt to use traditional native american techniques, and some homemade grain alcohol. Most of my information is coming from books. Also testing the efficiency of carrying a medicinal and edible plant book in a survival situation/ bug out bag.

[@naturewithandy7204]

There are quite a few polypore mushrooms I have found that work great as a coal extender or way of carrying fire.

[@alexanderdonnelly424]

Amadu was used by dry fly fishermen to dry their fly when the fly got waterlogged, it has been replaced by different oils and gels. I have also used it for tinder, they are quite common in Scotland.

[@UntamedScience]

Fantastic point. I had that in the first draft but since I didn’t have footage of it I dropped it. Thanks for the comment.

[@kakisot3674]

totally love how your voice sounded here

[@timreaves3921]

Wow, I live in the area featured in this video, and I see hoof fungus all the time. I'll have to remember that tinder trick next time I'm camping. Regarding the possible medicinal uses, how would one prepare and use it?

[@UntamedScience]

Try to dry it out before using it camping. Also, for medicinal uses you’d probably make a tea…

[@johannbraunstein1190]

Really informative

[@mikemilton4370]

Fungi are amazing.

[@davidyendoll5903]

Subbed ! Thankyou .

[@redleo380]

Amadou hats are made from horse hoof fungus. Cool stuff.

[@bennysats6076]

It's great that a lot of this stuff is coming back, but the idea that a 5300 year old ice mummy is older than the pyramids is pretty laughable

[@UntamedScience]

How old do you think the pyramids are?

[@bennysats6076]

@@UntamedScience More like 10,000 years

[@UntamedScience]

@@bennysats6076 you could be right. I was just looking at Wikipedia for that info and they seem to be less than 5k years old there.

[@williamwinstrop3918]

"maybe take a piece of it or only collect a little bit on a tree because they are a valuable" *cut to 3 men harvesting multiple full samples*

[@randybarnes8454]

I found something similar to that growing on a live oak. Took a piece of it and it would smolder for a long time. It was even hard to put out. But let me tell you it sure does stink. Might be a good mosquito repellent?

[@compier12]

The fungus on birch work together with the bark of the birch. They stimulate eachother

[@islamabadianstar6946]

In kashmir it's also used as a medicine , your video is full of knowledge. Alot of thanks

[@haritchie3460]

Know some people around there..... as for knowing lot about it no. If I get back that way may check it out. Good to know its found in different countries.

[@felineshowman3641]

2:48 “just ta me a little bit of it” proceeds to rip off the whole thing a few seconds later

[@rc3291]

Our ancestors had the knowledge to obtain everything they needed to survive from the world around them. Nature was their shopping mall.

[@peaceworld5393]

I’m in Texas and have had a few of those types of fungus on my tree !

[@AngelusNielson]

"Maybe just take a little piece" Takes the entire mushroom...

[@jacobroberts4241]

I was just about to say i live in southwest virginia in the new river valley of the blueridge mountains and if you own a boat you need to go to claytor lake there are mushrooms growing everywhere all over the forest above the cliff. Amanitas for sure there definitely like the ones in your videos

[@isthattrue1083]

I think that is also called a Barnacle Mushroom. They also used it to keep their pipes lite.

[@mindayabusiness3383]

Never knew Hoof fungus was a fire starter 🔥 pretty neat :)

[@erickinney6888]

I live in the maine Northwoods, tons of birch polypore and hoof fungus on my property

[@kelvinsparks4651]

Im a firm believer in the birch polypore for medicine. I've not had a cold in 2 year's and not a sniff of covid . I just eat a small 2" bit if i feel a tickle in the nose and it goes no further. I don't think it should be used unless needed to prevent the body getting used to it.

[@Turin-Fett]

If my region had birch trees I guess maybe I would have heard of it. But the closest we have are aspen.

[@jackblackpowderprepper4940]

Wow love this channel. I live on the east slope of the Cascades in central Washington. We have many types of delicious mushrooms. I have a encyclopedia on fungi with colorful pictures, but still I am very hesitant unless I am positive. You videos are very educational thank you.

[@Cat_Trainer]

I love mushrooms and Otzi.

[@larryeddings3185]

Excellent information, thanks for sharing.

[@justcurious..3580]

Awesome 👍👍..

[@davidmunro1469]

Ottzi had an arrow in his body? Jealouse husband? Was Ottzy a spy or thief? Only desperate men get trapped in mountain storms.

[@garyevans9342]

👆i strongly recommend him he's trustworthy he ship to any location man he got all kinds of psychedelic product stuff's!

[@Gavolak]

This one tastes like beef, this one killed Greg, and this one makes you see god for a couple of hours. -the scientific method, circa 3000bce

[@UntamedScience]

😀✌️

[@tinpony9424]

"this one killed Greg.." had me laughing

[@dreadpiratetjoris]

It does not mean ‘iceman’ as many people seem to think, nor is he named that. The icemummy’s name is Otzi and he was named that, because he was found in the Otztal. (Otz-valley)

[@sharfalor4244]

I have a fair amount of this frozen and dried. I make a double extraction from it ( alcohol then water). I used it when I got C.vid and recovered faster than friends who came down with it the same day. My son and his friend have both just used it for tonsillitis, both as a tincture and throat spray. Awesome stuff. And yes, it staunches bleeding fast, I know because I cut through my thumb knuckle cutting it up and had a small slice I immediately taped on. The weirdest part was it just didn't even sting while it was healing. 😂

[@sharan4700]

Q) Why do Mushrooms grow in Clumps ? A) Because there isn't Mushroom ! But I'm a Fungi with a Heart of Mold, and these Jokes are in Spore Taste !

[@garyevans9342]

I'd appreciate your comment

[@garyevans9342]

👆i strongly recommend him he's trustworthy he ship to any location man he got all kinds of psychedelic product stuff's!

[@mikedavidson5533]

It was in his pocket because he was STARVING!

[@miszcz310]

In Poland it was used as antiseptic for wounds dressings.

[@rajibjoshi9647]

this is goldmine video on survival

[@cliftongaither4613]

dude, you kinda resemble the actor Hank Azaria . love your channel, im now a subscriber.

[@MsPixi66]

So glad I found this channel totally love mushrooms and fungi.