Merlin Sheldrake
Merlin Sheldrake | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1987 (age 38–39) |
| Education | University of Cambridge (PhD) |
| Occupations | Mycologist, writer |
| Employer | Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam |
| Organization | Society for the Protection of Underground Networks |
| Known for | Work on mycorrhiza; advocacy for fungi; book Entangled Life |
| Notable work | Entangled Life |
| Spouse | Erin Robinsong |
| Parent(s) | Rupert Sheldrake and Jill Purce |
| Relatives | Cosmo Sheldrake (brother) |
| Awards | Royal Society Science Book Prize (2021) |
| Website | merlinsheldrake |
Merlin Sheldrake (born 1987) is a British mycologist and writer known for his work on mycorrhiza.
Early life and education
[edit | edit source]Merlin Sheldrake was born in 1987 in London to Rupert Sheldrake, an English author and parapsychology researcher, and Jill Purce, a therapist.[1][2] He grew up near Hampstead Heath in London.[3] His brother, Cosmo Sheldrake, is a musician. As a teenager, Sheldrake was influenced by Paul Stamets, a self-taught "fungal evangelist," and Karl von Frisch's book Animal Architecture.[4]
Sheldrake studied at the University of Cambridge, where he was a scholar of Clare College. After being awarded his undergraduate degree in biological science, he subsequently earned a master's degree in the history and philosophy of science, and later a PhD in tropical ecology.[5] He studied underground fungal networks in Panama's tropical forests as a predoctoral research fellow at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute.[2][6]
Career
[edit | edit source]In 2020, Sheldrake published his first book, Entangled Life, which was a bestseller in both The Sunday Times and The New York Times booklists and received the 2021 Royal Society Science Book Prize.[7][8] Entangled Life has positioned Merlin Sheldrake as a leading advocate for fungi.[4] He has presented an IMAX film called Fungi: Web of Life which was narrated by Björk and filmed in Tasmania's Tarkine rainforest.[9][10]
Inspired by Sheldrake's book, couture designer Iris van Herpen created a collection based on fungi, featuring designs mimicking chanterelle mushrooms and hyphae.[4][11]
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Sheldrake and his brother co-founded a business called Sheldrake & Sheldrake that sells fermented hot sauce.[4]
In 2021, Sheldrake consulted on Stella McCartney's fungal-themed Paris runway show, which featured a soundtrack by his brother, Cosmo Sheldrake that used a device to convert mycelium's electrical signals into musical notes.[4][12][13]
Sheldrake works with the Society for the Protection of Underground Networks, which aims to map and protect global mycorrhizal diversity.[14] He also works with mycologist Giuliana Furci and NYU law professor César Rodríguez Garavito to create legal protections for fungi, contributing to a larger movement that aims to provide legal representation for non-human living entities.[4][15]
Since 2023, he has been a research associate at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam in the Netherlands.[4] In November 2023, Tatler described Sheldrake as a figure-head of the new vanguard of Bopeas, or "Bohemian Peasants", a socio-cultural group evolving from the Bobos who combine creative expression with a neo-medieval rooted "peasant" worldview.[16]
Personal life
[edit | edit source]Sheldrake is married to the poet Erin Robinsong.[4]
Bibliography
[edit | edit source]- Sheldrake, Merlin (2020). Entangled Life
- Sheldrake, Merlin (2023). Entangled Life: The Illustrated Edition
References
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