Melting ice in the Ötztal Alps released a body in September 1991 that had been frozen since roughly 3300 BCE. Hikers found him first; archaeologists followed, cataloguing a copper axe, a bow stave, a quiver of arrows, and a leather pouch. Threaded onto two leather strips among his belongings were pieces of birch polypore, a bracket fungus that grows on dead and dying birch trees across Europe and Asia.

Draw a circle around the plant. Stand facing east. Pray. Watch the sky, right side and left, for an eagle — if the bird comes near while the root is cut, the cutter will die within the year.

Since time immemorial, people have ventured into forests and fields, gathering nature's bounty for nourishment and healing. This article explores the fascinating world of edible and medicinal plants, their historical significance, and how to incorporate them into daily life