The Resource Library

Everything we know about psilocybin, in one place.

A daily-updated library of magic mushroom studies, harm-reduction guides, glossary entries, integration tools, and community signals — curated by the North Star research team.

Updated Friday, July 24, 2026 3–5 new entries per day

Field Guide

In-depth psilocybin research and guides.

Long-form, peer-reviewed-sourced articles across magic mushroom science, strain reviews, preparation, microdosing, and harm reduction. Subscribe to be first to read new entries.

24

Jul 2026

3 entries

Science & Research 10 min read

The Default Mode Network: The Neuroscience Behind Psilocybin's Effects.

How psilocybin quiets the brain's default mode network to produce ego dissolution — and what the latest fMRI research reveals about why it matters for mental health.

Microdosing 11 min read

The Stamets Stack Explained: Psilocybin, Lion's Mane, and Niacin.

A clear breakdown of the popular Stamets Stack microdosing protocol — the reasoning behind each ingredient, the suggested schedule, and what the evidence actually says.

Preparation 8 min read

Lemon Tek: The Science Behind Faster, Stronger Magic Mushroom Trips.

Why lemon-tekking changes onset and intensity, what's actually happening chemically, and how to do it safely if you choose this method.

23

Jul 2026

3 entries

Strain Review 9 min read

Albino Penis Envy (APE): Respecting the Strongest Magic Mushroom.

Everything you should know before trying APE — its genetics, potency, dosing considerations, and why this strain demands extra respect from experienced users.

Harm Reduction 8 min read

The Day After: Integrating a Psilocybin Experience Into Daily Life.

Practical, therapist-informed steps for processing insights from a magic mushroom session while they're still fresh — journaling, rest, and gentle reflection.

Microdosing 8 min read

Microdosing 101: A Practical Guide for American Psilocybin Beginners.

Everything a first-time microdoser needs — dose ranges, popular schedules, what to expect, and the published evidence behind magic mushroom microdosing.

22

Jul 2026

5 entries

Science & Research 6 min read

The Psychedelic Renaissance Keeps Promising More Than It Can Prove.

Johns Hopkins built the labs, the FDA handed over its fast-track label, and the money arrived in trucks. Here is what psilocybin science has actually proven, and what it still hasn't.

Culture 6 min read

Shrooms Got a Rebrand. Acid Never Did.

Somewhere along the way, magic mushrooms became a wellness product with good branding, while LSD stayed stuck in 1969. Same schedule, same felony, wildly different reputations.

Safety 6 min read

What "Set and Setting" Actually Means, and Why the Phrase Won't Die.

"Set and setting" is the most repeated phrase in psychedelics and the least understood. It is the closest thing the field has to a seatbelt, and even seatbelts have limits.

Mycology 6 min read

Why Fungi Bother Making Psilocybin at All.

The mushroom did not evolve to expand your consciousness. It evolved to mess with insects in a pile of dung. The real origin story of psilocybin is stranger than the trip.

History 6 min read

The Banker Who Blew Maria Sabina's Cover.

A J.P. Morgan vice president ate mushrooms in a Mexican village in 1955, wrote it up for a magazine, and accidentally kicked off the psychedelic era. It did not end well for the woman who let him in.

Browse all field guide entries

Studies & Research

The peer-reviewed psilocybin canon.

A continually growing index of the most important magic mushroom research from the past decade — summarized and explored in depth across our field guide.

JAMA · 2023 RCT · Phase 2

Single-Dose Psilocybin Treatment for Major Depressive Disorder.

Raison C.L. et al. — Usona Institute, University of Wisconsin–Madison

A 104-participant double-blind randomized controlled trial. A single 25mg dose of synthetic psilocybin produced a clinically significant reduction in MADRS depression scores compared to niacin placebo, sustained through the 43-day endpoint.

104 Participants

25mg Active dose

−12.3 MADRS Δ

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Psychopharmacology · 2018 Open-label trial

Psilocybin With Psychological Support for Treatment-Resistant Depression: 6-Month Follow-Up.

Carhart-Harris R.L. et al. — Imperial College London

Twenty participants with treatment-resistant depression received two psilocybin doses (10mg and 25mg) with psychological support. Marked reductions in depressive symptoms persisted at the six-month follow-up.

20 Participants

2 doses Protocol

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Scientific Reports · 2022 Naturalistic survey

Psilocybin Microdosers Show Greater Improvements in Mood and Mental Health at One Month.

Rootman J.M. et al. — University of British Columbia

One of the largest microdosing datasets to date. Psilocybin microdosers reported greater observed improvements in mood, mental health, and psychomotor performance over a 30-day window compared to non-microdosing controls.

4,050 Microdosers

30 d Tracking window

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Neuron · 2021 Preclinical

Psilocybin Induces Rapid and Persistent Growth of Dendritic Spines in Frontal Cortex In Vivo.

Shao L.-X. et al. — Yale University School of Medicine

A single dose of psilocybin produced a rapid and persistent increase in dendritic spine density and size in the frontal cortex of mice, lasting at least one month — supporting the neuroplasticity hypothesis of psychedelic action.

+10% Spine density

1 mo Persistence

1 dose Protocol

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Read deeply. Trip wisely.

Peer-reviewed · Continually updated Harm reduction · Integration · Community

Glossary

The psilocybin & magic mushroom A–Z.

Plain-language definitions of every term you'll encounter when researching psilocybin — from pharmacology to ritual.

A

Afterglow: The period of elevated mood, openness, and clarity that often follows a magic mushroom journey, typically lasting from a few hours up to several weeks.
Agonist: A molecule that activates a receptor. Psilocin is a partial agonist of the 5-HT2A serotonin receptor, which is largely responsible for the psychedelic experience.

C

Cubensis /ˈkjuː.bɛn.sɪs/: Short for Psilocybe cubensis — the most widely cultivated psilocybin mushroom species. Includes strains like Golden Teacher, Penis Envy, and Tidal Waves.
Come-up: The onset phase of a psilocybin trip, typically lasting 20–60 minutes after ingestion. Often the most physically uncomfortable portion of the experience.

D

Default Mode Network (DMN): A network of interacting brain regions associated with self-referential thinking and the sense of ego. Psilocybin temporarily reduces DMN connectivity, which correlates with feelings of ego dissolution.
Dose, Macro: A full perceptual dose of psilocybin, typically 1.5g–5g of dried magic mushrooms, capable of producing visual hallucinations and significant altered states.

E

Ego Dissolution: A temporary loss of the sense of being a separate self, often described as profound interconnection with the environment and others. Common during high-dose psilocybin experiences.
Entheogen: From Greek for 'generating the divine within.' A category of psychoactive substances — including magic mushrooms — used in spiritual or religious contexts.

I

Integration: The deliberate process of making meaning from a psychedelic experience and applying its insights to daily life through journaling, therapy, art, or community.

L

Lemon Tek: A preparation method in which ground magic mushrooms are steeped in fresh lemon or lime juice for ~20 minutes. Citric acid begins converting psilocybin to psilocin, producing a faster, often more intense onset.

M

Microdose: A sub-perceptual dose of psilocybin, typically 50–250mg of dried magic mushrooms — about 1/10th to 1/20th of a recreational dose. Used for mood, focus, and creativity rather than altered states.

P

Psilocybin /ˌsɪl.əˈsaɪ.bɪn/: The primary psychoactive prodrug found in magic mushrooms. The body rapidly converts psilocybin into psilocin, which produces the psychedelic effects.
Psilocin /ˈsɪl.ə.sɪn/: The active metabolite of psilocybin. Binds to serotonin 5-HT2A receptors in the brain to produce the magic mushroom experience.

S

Set & Setting: Coined by Timothy Leary. 'Set' refers to mindset (mood, expectations, intentions); 'setting' refers to environment (people, place, sound). Both are widely accepted as the most important non-pharmacological factors in a psilocybin trip.
Stamets Stack: A microdosing protocol popularized by mycologist Paul Stamets combining psilocybin, Lion's Mane mushroom, and niacin (vitamin B3) — proposed to enhance neurogenesis.

T

Tolerance: The brain's rapid down-regulation of 5-HT2A receptors after a psilocybin dose. Effectively eliminates psychedelic effects for 5–7 days following a macro-dose, regardless of how much more is consumed.

Practical Resources

Tools, calculators, and templates.

Everything you need to plan, execute, and integrate a psilocybin experience — free, sourced, and built with practitioners.

Understanding Potency & Dosing

How a strain's potency translates into effect intensity — from microdose to heroic-dose ranges — using one of the strongest cubensis strains, APE, as a reference point.

How to Build a Microdose Schedule

Dose ranges and the two most popular protocols — Fadiman and Stamets — with built-in tolerance windows, plus how to track results over a full cycle.

Curated Trip Playlists (3, 6, 8 hours)

Six therapist-approved Spotify and Apple Music playlists designed by length and intensity — from gentle ambient sets to full ceremonial journeys.

Integrating a Psilocybin Experience

A therapist-informed framework for processing a magic mushroom experience while it's still fresh — rest, journaling, gentle reflection, and turning insight into action.

The Stamets Stack, Explained

What's in the popular psilocybin, Lion's Mane, and niacin stack, the reasoning behind each ingredient, the cycling schedule, and what the evidence actually supports.

Trip Support Hotlines & Crisis Lines

Vetted 24/7 numbers across the US, Canada, and the UK for callers experiencing a difficult psilocybin or magic mushroom experience.