Updated July 15, 2023 20.5K votes 3.5K voters 207.7K views
Over 3.5K Ranker voters have come together to rank this list of Fascinating Facts About Mushrooms That'll Blow Your Mind
Mushrooms are one of the most fascinating edible things on the planet. It's a bold statement, but how many organisms do you know that are neither plant nor animal? Mushrooms are truly fascinating. Apart from their many health benefits, they taste great on pizza, in salads, on pasta, and just about anywhere you put them. But there are also some mushrooms that will make you hallucinate. That's not something you can say about chicken. There is no chicken, unfortunately, that will make you hallucinate.
You might be wondering, how long have people been tripping on mushrooms? What makes them so healthy? What are the effects of shrooms and how safe are they? What's the deal with that mushroom in Super Mario Bros.? How many types of mushrooms make you trip? Do some really glow? All of this and more is included on this list of mushroom facts.
These are the most fascinating facts you didn't know about our fungi friends, the mushrooms! There are so many crazy things to learn about shrooms.
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1,130 VOTES
The Mario Mushroom Has Similar Effects In Real Life
The bright red and white mushrooms from Super Mario Bros. that cause you to grow in size throughout the game are real. They're called Amanita Muscaria and not only do they look just like the ones in the game, but they're also slightly poisonous. Not enough to shut down vital organs, but enough to cause loss of equilibrium.
If you eat the skin it can make you feel larger, or make the world feel larger. Which is pretty much what they do in the game.
1,130 votes
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1,035 VOTES
There Is A Mushroom That Tastes Nearly Identical To Fried Chicken
There is an entire genus of mushrooms, found all over the world, that tastes like fried chicken. It's even referred to as the "chicken of the woods." It is most commonly found in eastern North America and is bright orange. It sort of look like a tasty piece of fried buffalo chicken.
1,035 votes
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862 VOTES
There Are More Than 75 Species That Glow In The Dark
More and more species of mushroom that glow in the dark are being discovered all the time. As it stands now, there are more than 75 species that are bioluminescent!
If mushrooms were to simply drop their spores, like a tree does its leaves, the chances of mushrooms reproducing would be slim to none. But, it turns out that mushrooms create air flow around them by causing water to rapidly evaporate, thus creating a vehicle for spreading their spores (future mushrooms) around their environment.
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1,060 VOTES
Magic Mushrooms Actually Boost Communication Within The Brain
Researchers theorize that "tripping" is actually experiencing a hyperconnected brain. When you take mushrooms with psilocybin, your brain stops communicating normally and communication starts occurring between "brain regions that don't normally talk together."
It is shown to be a great way to change perspective, aid in alleviating depression, and dealing with PTSD.
For much of what we naturally lack, mushrooms have in an easily digestible form. They contain disease-fighting properties, antioxidants, and a whole gamut of important nutrients. They even contain copper, a mineral that is vital to our survival that we cannot produce on our own.
