The Spore Drop

Spores, the microscopic bits of fungi that act as the mushroom’s seed, are delicate enough to get caught up in a raindrop or blown away by the faintest breeze. They’re also robust enough to exist in the harsh climate of outer space. Not to mention, each one carries the genetic information to expand into a vast network of mycelium — the largest of which is still considered the biggest living organism on earth. Mushrooms might just be here to save us, and it’s the humble, tiny spore that’s going to do it.

For Kyle Kaszynski, founder of The Spore Drop, these microscopic wonders unlock new realms of understanding and experience before they become the fruits we’re familiar with. Spores of “magic mushrooms” are legal in the United States for microscopy purposes only, so The Spore Drop collects and presents them to a hungry public of budding mycologists for just that. Observation purposes only.

Where most strain banks have traditionally mailed off a glass slide or cotton swab smeared with a bit of active material, TSD provides a unique solution that marries the clean-room-type environment needed to ensure a viable sample with the artsy, natural design provided by the mushroom cap. Overnight, the spores collect onto the plate to create a print, each as unique as the whorl on a fingertip. The finished product is a sealed Petri dish with the perfect stamp of the individual first-flush cap that was placed in the dish, with enough spores to provide any mycologist with a literal lifetime of functional fungi.

Kyle and his partners recognize that we’re still in an emerging industry. Now, they’re offering a collection of strains that are attractive to the folks most interested in studying fast-growing, substrate-agnostic, psilocybin-rich cultivars. Their collection of cultivars has been growing over the last decade, including many exotic and wood-loving species that will be ready for closer observation as the industry expands. Kyle adds, “I think that those laws are likely to change, especially in states like Oregon, California and Colorado, where they are fighting for new legalizations.”

Kaszynski’s academic background in mycology gives him an advantage over a space filled with hobbyists. “My master’s thesis was in cultivating oyster mushrooms on various substrates and determining yields and growth,” he said. The project allowed him to work closely with fungi and experts, simultaneously learning theory and background while studying how mushrooms grow and produce in the wild. “That set me up nicely for my career, consulting and helping teach people about fungi and the specialization in mushroom-producing fungi and the cultivation of those organisms.”

Beyond our own minds, there’s plenty more to explore here. Testing the active ingredients in mushrooms is just starting to become more available, and we still have so much to learn. Looking toward the future, TSD continues to build its massive strain bank. “I think that more and more of these compounds will be discovered, and I think that those can potentially offer medical benefits that are different than the benefits of psilocin and psilocybin,” Kyle said.

In the same way that the tiniest spore contains the grandest potential, we’re looking at the blossoming psychedelics industry with an eye on how it can benefit our mental health, self-actualizations and society in general. Let’s hope the leaders in the space can maintain the same strict standards and values that The Spore Drop has here, producing something visually striking and scientifically valuable by letting the mushroom lead the way.