Glowing "Ghost" Mushrooms Reappear in Brazil After 170 Years!By Kimberley Mok
Picture: This is a picture of the glowing mushrooms found in Brazil after being gone for 170 years.
Summary: This mushroom was originally found in 1840. Its scientific name is Neonthopanus gardneri. It is one of the 71 recognized species of bioluminescent mushrooms. They are sometimes called "ghost mushrooms" because of their eerie appearance. They are also poisonous to humans. The glow of the mushroom is bright enough for a person to read a newspaper in a dark room! Researchers believe that the mushrooms make light by a chemical mix of a luciferin compound and a lucifrase. Lucifrase is an enzyme that aids the interaction among luciferin, oxygen and water to produce light. Researchers found that these mushrooms glow 24 hours a day, as long as water are available.
Opinion: When I first read this title I was immediately fascinated by this! I mean who doesn't want to know about glowing mushrooms? I was also very surprised to find that they completely disappeared and then came back 170 years later! These mushrooms were found again in 2005 but I am wondering why we are just hearing about this now.
Questions:
1- Where else are these glowing mushrooms found?
2- Why did they disappear for such a long period of time?
3- What types of conditions does there need to be for this type of mushroom to grow?
First of all, WOW!!! That is a crazy looking mushroom!! To answer the question of why they disappeared for so long, it was probably something to do with the food chain. Whatever animal used to eat these mushrooms could have multiplied, leaving the mushroom "extinct in Brazil" for 170 years. We always see mushrooms in the grass or in our backyards, but I don't think we fully realize that there are so many different types of mushrooms such as ones that GLOW. At least I don't.
ReplyDeleteMy question is:
What made the mushroom come back after being gone for 170 years?
I also found this link online to more of the Glowing Mushroom types with pictures.
http://www.mushfarms.com/glowing-mushrooms1.html
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ReplyDeleteThis is probably one of the oddest things that I have ever heard of. And it is definately the first time I have ever heard of glowing mushrooms. I think that they disappeared because whatever caused these mushrooms to grow(such as the minerals in the soil, or certain plants decomposing) disappeared which caused the mushroom to go away. This mushroom can probably be found in very wet areas seeing as it needs a lot of water in order to thrive.
ReplyDeleteWhat I would like to know is:
How come only certain mushrooms glow and not all mushrooms glow?
http://www.environmentalgraffiti.com/featured/mushrooms-glow-in-the-dark/4821
This link gives more photos of different kinds and angles of the glowing mushroom species.
Whoa what a cool article!! Glowing mushrooms that is soo I wish I could have one as a pet if it wasn't poisionous:) anyways I never knew there were so many different types of mushrooms and on top of that ones that glow!!! I agree with Tal I was thinking the same thing that it has a good chane that it was because of the food chain. This article makes me wonder if they reproduce or if the are grown like other typical plants? I think that maybe these mushroom might grown in the ocean very often since they need soo much water to live!
ReplyDeleteMy question is: are these mushroom a keystone species, but i don't think so because they had disappeared for 170 years!?
And if they provide nutrients or benefits for the environment.
This article was so different then all the other ones, and the picture is really cool! Like Simal I want to know more as to why they dissapeared for 170 years!? thats crazy.I also wonder if they glow only because they recieve solar energy? Or do they glow just because it's in their genes?
ReplyDeletequestion- I wonder if any other species of plany/fungi glow like this?
Wow Val that's a really interesting aspect of thinking about it I didn't realize that solar energy could be a possible reason! I was researching on google about if ther is a possible chance of there being more fungi glowing stories and there were a few results saying they are actually doing a study now! They will be looking through very tropical areas such as south brazil, and Hawaii:)
ReplyDeleteBtw this is Simal
Guys I found out that there are also blue neon mushrooms that can be quote dangerous, and thenarticle claims to be aware of athletes foot!
ReplyDeleteThe following link takes to you to an interesting similar article
http://paxarcana.wordpress.com/2008/03/03/the-fire-breathing-mushrooms-that-will-consume-us-all/
Simal ~ That link is CRAZY, it feeds of radiation, I wonder what other kinds of life could potentially evolve to feed of radiation. Very cool
ReplyDelete