Stardust Stories Special - Fungus Among Us – Is Climate Waking the Spores?

Stardust Stories Special

Fungus Among Us – Is Climate Waking the Spores?

Hosted by: Philip Garcia & Jasper Whitlow

In this spore-tacular (and slightly unsettling) episode, Stardust Stories takes a darkly comedic turn into the undergrowth of science and speculation as Philip Garcia and Jasper Whitlow debate one of the creepiest consequences of climate change yet—the rise of deadly fungi.

Kicking off with a fungal flourish, Philip dives headfirst into the alarming science behind Aspergillus, a common fungus that's increasingly resistant to treatment and thriving in a warming world. He makes the case that climate change isn't just melting glaciers—it’s potentially supercharging microbes with a taste for human hosts. Think: less “mushroom risotto” and more “mould with murderous intentions.”

Jasper, ever the elegant sceptic, isn’t convinced. Armed with sarcasm, sanitiser, and a firm distrust of climate catastrophe clickbait, he challenges the narrative with biting wit and scientific scrutiny. Is the threat real, or is Philip just one Reddit thread away from investing in a tinfoil-lined mushroom bunker?

Together, they tackle:

• The science of Aspergillus and antifungal resistance
• Whether rising global temperatures are awakening new biological threats
• The media’s role in fuelling microbial panic
• The fine line between awareness and alarmism
• And whether mushrooms are about to become public enemy number one (spoiler: probably not… but maybe)

This is not your typical science podcast—think David Attenborough meets Drag Race with a fungal subplot. It’s sharp, sassy, surprisingly informative, and filled with enough banter to sterilise your AirPods.

Whether you're pro-fungus or prepping for The Last of Us in your garden shed, this episode is a must-listen for anyone curious about what’s really brewing beneath our feet… and in our lungs.

Tune in if you like:

• Science with side-eye
• Humour with heart
• And co-hosts who can debate doom with dazzling chemistry

Don’t forget to subscribe, review, and send this episode to the person in your life who thinks climate change is just about weather.

Until next time: stay informed, stay cheeky… and maybe keep that compost bin at arm’s length.

Helpful Hands Podcast Website: https://helpfulhandspodcast.co.uk