*50 copies limited edition* Lichen functions like nothing else on earth. This combination of algae, fungus, and bacteria serves as a keystone species to keep the entire ecosystem healthy and on track. Thanks to their ability to take nutrients from air, sun, and rain, and their capacity to survive with very low water contents, these species can thrive on every continent, including Antarctica. They can spread their secondary metabolites that make the rocks slowly flake off, participating in soil formation.
When our air and environment are polluted, the lichen suffers, and so do we. If we live around this species, we know that the air entering and keeping us alive is clean. They are our windows into the world of entering our lungs. The next time you walk, seek out this life and take time to appreciate its service.