Glow-in-the-Dark Mushrooms: Nature’s Night Lights | National Geographic

No one knows why mushrooms in northern Brazil glow at night. Researchers are using LED-lit mushrooms to mimic nature in order to find out.
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PRODUCER: David Liitschwager
PHOTOGRAPHERS: David Liitschwager and Steve Haddock
VIDEOGRAPHER: Anand Varma
EDITORS: Anand Varma and Spencer Millsap
Glow-in-the-Dark Mushrooms: Nature’s Night Lights | National Geographic
• Glow-in-the-Dark Mushr...
National Geographic
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[@NatGeo]

Watch: No one knows why mushrooms in northern Brazil glow at night-so researchers are using LED-lit mushrooms to mimic nature and to find out.

[@madeleinebaier5347]

What an amazing world we live in.

[@MarkSchuurman]

I would almost wonder whether these are poisonous ;)

[@madeleinebaier5347]

Mark Schuurman me too!

[@ToddWright2]

I love fungi, and bioluminescence! What an awe inspiring little video clip. Nature never ceases to delight and amaze. If ALL the diversity in nature is not worth preserving, then what could possibly be?

[@madeleinebaier5347]

Todd Wright All of it is worth preserving, down to the last bit of kudzu!

[@mantislife7463]

I'm assuming they evolved to glow so that insects will be drawn to them, walk all over the spores underneath the mushrooms then go hide in environments where those spores thrive in.

[@maria50miranda]

+Mantis Life My thoughts precisely. Thank you.

[@alwayschanging5821]

yup. a form of pollination. some plants use bees, some use flies, these use a variety insects attracted to lights

[@Fireglo]

Nuuuuu God did it! -_-

[@dr.apollo4226]

@LagiNaLangAko23 lol

[@curlyhairdudeify]

Exactly, or the insect dies naturally providing nutrients to sprouting spores.

[@Aeronautgal]

Someone should build a garden or theme park just filled with all kinds of bioluminescent plants and animals - I bet people from all over the world would want to see it

[@helldronez]

good idea, imagine how many money that can make. especially if you have photo booth and influencer, that place would be crowded af

[@Teesquared00]

I love this idea, but unfortunately most organisms which are bioluminescent are either scary or alien looking sea creatures, fungi and insects. I'd still go but it would probably require a strong stomach 😅

[@IndoLiberation]

now try to modify the gene and create mutated grass with this , imagine the entire Savannah are glowing , that would be hillarious lol

[@TheMarcymark]

They already have bioluminescencing cats and rats, we have that technology already

[@fi-losopher]

That's interesting🤔🤔 however I can't help but think about the consequences....

[@someone-gg8pz]

That's exactly how humans started to destroy nature's beauty in pursuit of more beautiful our imagination has left the world with low no of different species of flora and fauna

[@TheBull06]

How would that be hilarious, you have a strange sense of humor. I didn't laugh at all 😐

[@billythemillipede6102]

Omg they did make a glowing plant

[@ProximaCentauri88]

We used to see super lots of these bioluminescent mashrooms in my hometown in the Philippines but after the 1990s, they just stopped appearing... 😢

[@ProximaCentauri88]

@Tonni Sarkar I hope I can still find one.

[@miguelacaba2754]

I've seen one of these too 💕

[@lumpyspace3045]

Really?

[@kiloSilverBviewssecondago]

Who is from the Philippines?

[@lewcy]

synthesize, patent, and resell

[@htv3santos755]

Now I feel like playing Skyrim and going to look for ingredients lel

[@kimminer8156]

same

[@aceman0000099]

Why not go outside and do it in real life

[@IvySnowFillyVideos]

Let's go.......

[@PotatoFart799]

Lel

[@markofthedevil845]

I worked at a greenhouse and frequently saw amazing cultures with profound colors and unique unidentifiable and purple is all I could describe now. Really cool memories though.

[@john3520]

All right, so people are trying to conquer the space and yet they don’t know why the mushrooms are luminous. Just amazing.

[@ananya.a04]

Exactly. We know so less about our own planet, and yet we humans always try to run before we can crawl.

[@brunomello4964]

I think human being knows more of space than our own planet

[@amishgamer9780]

we know almost nothing of the ocean as well

[@alexm7023]

believe it or now, it's easier to get into space than the deepest part of ocean or planet. Aside from gravity, there's nothing stop you from going to space, but miles of water and earth block you from accessing the center of the planet

[@aishaexo-l611]

It makes me feel like I'm in Pandora 😱💕

[@TheChoppergunner100]

Plot twist: those mushrooms are RadioActive.

[@MotherNature88]

In India there are few bioluminescent forest in Western ghat area in Goa.

[@lucidmimi1006]

Such a beautiful mystery!

[@Love-jf7rs]

Very creative God!

[@pheelmacababe2861]

now in 2020, i understand what mushrooms can do for us and why they want to be found, even in the dark ;)

[@ongargovictoriachannel193]

When I was a child...me and my friends search the Phosphor Mushroom in the river side It's very much....and when the night it's so lighting..but now...it gone.....what tragedy

[@pokeitwithastick7869]

where at what country/town

[@ongargovictoriachannel193]

In Tropic Forest Indonesia...it's very huge last time

[@helldronez]

dimana bro? kalimantan kah?

[@elixontade4262]

Bioluminescense mushrooms here in the philippines are small. And its light at night is yellow. Here in the philippines there is only one native bioluminescene that I know of but it is interesting if you see it at night

[@vanderheijden3927]

fascinating! the elegance and ingenuity of nature never ceases to inspire and fascinate me

[@arsenal2death]

Thats god👍🏻

[@keyofallworlds7549]

I would like these as a night light please

[@fishyfish6510]

New species of glowing mushrooms were discovered in the state of Meghalaya in India where I live last year

[@shrivanth6774]

Exactly where

[@quietperson7155]

Could it be to spread their spores or something like that.

[@alwayschanging5821]

pollination yes

[@abbycrisma]

@@alwayschanging5821 spores exactly

[@christopherstein2024]

Fungi don't use pollinators as far as I know. I don't why but it probably just isn't necessary.

[@dreglanoth3320]

Everyone: Why are these mushrooms glowing? Paul Stamets: This is the way

[@nordicfalcon]

Underrated comment 🤣 Paul Stamets is a living legend.

[@500night]

a step to the Pandora!

[@leticiasprotte5647]

500night If you knew all the 'magic' flora of Amazônia, you would think that's were Pandora is :)

[@jhaz89]

I think this is pretty simple. They evolved and this bioluminescence gave them an advantage because it attracted more insects which then get the spores on them then the insects spread them afterwards so more of these mushrooms will be produced, etc. I think they're overthinking it.

[@martinmartinez3860]

ok buddy

[@carolinadelaossa7383]

Wah I didn't know mushrooms can do that. They remind me so much of Blackreach

[@walkerbfa3298]

i think nature is magical. if human didn’t polute the environment, our earth could have been like Pandora from Avatar (2009), everything would be sparkling at night

[@GuyChooo]

Not as much as pandora but we'll see few of these majestic things.

[@opedromagico]

Olha lá, os cara tão no Brasil!

[@janosik150]

They attract the insects to spread the spores. or to even eat the spores only to release them later somewhere else. Instead of using wind.

[@eliseolopez2790]

basic detoxifying processes that happen in the cells and some of the antioxidants as they break down give off light trades are added to dna to gain additional functions

[@cyanuranus6456]

I LOVE Looking at These Glowing Fungi and Glowing Toadstools

[@ancientmonk6238]

Oh my Metro series in real life.

[@louisehelgesson5471]

It looks so cool though..

[@zenzylok]

Fascinating biological structure.

[@andersonlyngdoh8502]

What kind of benefits did mushroom got from the insects after they are attracted and step down in the mushroom?

[@lunaarts7663]

So beautiful... How can people just be so mindless to pollute the air and the rain... People really should care and not be lazy... It's amazing how these bioluminescent plants and creatures look and communicate... So please stop polluting....do you really wanna damage these phenomenons?

[@f7744dread388]

+Sarah tennant Sadly most people are apathetic about it, and the rest claim to care but they don't do anything and are just huge hypocrites.

[@skengasaurus]

Can I ask what both of your daily conservation efforts entail?

[@Mark-jm8ug]

Mushrooms aren't plants

[@ayehawksqueenhere]

Due to the presence of luciferase in some fungi like Mycena, Armillaria.. luciferase is an oxidative enzyme, it reacts with luciferin and emits light, it's not well known if the presence of luciferase is related to evolution or not, but it does has some advantages like as a warning to hungry animals or to attract insects for spore dispersal

[@lets_go_see_]

Incredible. Stay with it

[@C.ODubhlaoich]

I just ordered an LC of panellus stipticus. Gonna make my front and backyard look awesome with them

[@nrtyby]

The Metro game series brought me here.

[@rebellious4629]

I Love The Way They Just Try To Make Everything Into A Mathematical Problem When In Actuality Magic Ia All Around Us 🤜🏾✅

[@noeditbookreviews]

there are usually insects and insect damage on the mushrooms around here and they aren't bioluminescent

[@matheusmourtada4050]

1:37: "É a cobra?" hahaha

[@divyashrestha7312]

It's found in India as well...in the states of Arunachal Pradesh and meghalaya

[@Himark89]

Is it not simple? When an insect bite or lands on glowing mushroom it gets soaked with spores, which it then transfers onto the next mushroom. Because insects use the light of the stars it, glowing in the dark helps mushroom to attract insects without developing any sweet sugary essence.

[@methylene5]

Yes, it's simple. No mystery there but government grant money is available, apparently.

[@bethymears2648]

I use to put the glow wooden sticks and roots you find on the forest floor in glass jars And use them for all night light outside of my tent.

[@catastrophe2155]

Where do you find it?

[@bethymears2648]

@@catastrophe2155 On the side of the oval, Way up the back.

[@scienceworld7373]

Very nice information love ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷 Brazil from 🇮🇳🇮🇳🇮🇳🇮🇳🇮🇳🇮🇳🇮🇳🇮🇳🇮🇳🇮🇳🇮🇳🇮🇳🇮🇳🇮🇳🇮🇳🇮🇳🇮🇳🇮🇳🇮🇳🇮🇳🇮🇳🇮🇳🇮🇳🇮🇳🇮🇳🇮🇳🇮🇳🇮🇳🇮🇳🇮🇳🇮🇳🇮🇳🇮🇳🇮🇳🇮🇳🇮🇳🇮🇳🇮🇳🇮🇳🇮🇳🇮🇳🇮🇳🇮🇳🇮🇳🇮🇳🇮🇳🇮🇳🇮🇳🇮🇳🇮🇳🇮🇳🇮🇳🇮🇳🇮🇳🇮🇳🇮🇳🇮🇳🇮🇳🇮🇳🇮🇳🇮🇳🇮🇳🇮🇳🇮🇳🇮🇳🇮🇳🇮🇳🇮🇳 India

[@user-kg1wy7je8y]

Lamp made by mother nature

[@lamest2023]

My 7yr. old granddaughter had a question, Are the bio mushrooms poisonous? Great video thanks👍👏

[@bora9491]

Yes they are

[@jacobgibson4723]

There is a strain that isn't too hard to cultivate($20 spores sold online) called "Panellus stipticus". It is not something you want to eat due to bitter taste, but it is non-toxic in small quantities.

[@BeefHardslab]

I'm thinking the attraction of insects brings with it trace elements the fungi would not otherwise receive.

[@HansWaldenmaier]

How, by insect poop? Maybe... insect poop he he

[@MR-kd9he]

I seen flying mushrooms that glow at night. Its just like firefly. When I caught them they "died".

[@HansWaldenmaier]

Is this a metaphor or literal? Cuz, I have seen glowing mushrooms in the tree canopy. Maybe it fell and hence only appeared to be flying...

[@MR-kd9he]

I was lost in the jungle then. At night, I seen a small group of mushroom flew in very slow motion- so slow that I could catch them. They flew from one end of the place to the other end. They were not fallen from the trees.

[@bettyfreeman8962]

Wow we think this is amazing to

[@cl5619]

A mushroom walks into bar Bartender says “get out of here. We don’t serve your kind” Mushroom says “what?… am a fun guy

[@vanderheijden3927]

it also could be the insects are only attracted by a combination of light and smell?

[@HansWaldenmaier]

There are a few hypotheses floating around out there... but smell could be a major player. The glue traps lacked the natural mushroom smell to try and address this smell v. light issue... I really need to write up that article... ha ha

[@militantpacifist4087]

I’m here because of Ballonlea and Glimwood Tangle from Pokémon Sword and Shield.

[@ThatsYouTubular]

Where is it? WHERE'S THE TRUFFLE WORM??

[@firepeashooter5427]

I like the fact.Terraria glowing mushrooms

[@WarrenRCG]

They should call Paul Stamets.

[@dagashannon1505]

Who is the composer of the backgroind music? Nane? Album if any? Ty.

[@NitzVision]

these are found in india too ...goa

1:36 É A COBRA????

[@necessaryevil455]

Their going to find out what insects like glue. :\

[@HansWaldenmaier]

Kinda... some glue traps have green light on, some have green light off. So if there is a difference an insect species found in greater number on the traps with the light vs. the traps without the light (and statistics say it is significant) then you can "kinda" say that they are attracted to the light. But as for insects that are found in about equal numbers on both traps, yeah those insects like glue most likely.

[@necessaryevil455]

I'm sorry, you sound like a very smart guy but, I meant glue as in sniffing glue like to get high. I was making a joke.

[@christopherstein2024]

@@necessaryevil455 bruh I was thinking you were making criticism too

[@lindsayrowland4098]

Is the paper for this experiment published??

[@PixiBoii]

God really said lets give this mushroom light, like dude why didn't you give me a light in the forehead instead that would be so much more useful

[@poptartslayerz]

okay etho i see you.

[@randywiggins1248]

Where can I buy the spores so I can conduct my own long term testing?

[@moringalife9754]

Hey, I found a very rare/new bioluminescent species...no positive ID on it after posting into mycology groups on fb as yet. But it looks really amazing...I am willing to sell some spores.

[@littletimmy3165]

Its about time for an update video right?

[@mustvalge7705]

yeah, it's a nice hypothesis, but: insects can't really improve mushroom spore dispersal as it's meant to happens anyway, first-handedly by the wind. Glowing can't give much of an advantage because fungi that do not glow seems to get their spores aruond quite effectively anyway, with or without the help of insects.

[@irabartkiv858]

maybe the spores germinate inside the insect? like that fungus that turns ants into a zombies

[@mustvalge7705]

maybe these fungi are from other planets and different ecosystems, That's why this glowing ability makes no sense in Earth's ecosystem. Brought here by aliens who took a shit in bushes during flyby, accidentally dispersing alien mushroom spores.

[@goodsir2551]

Yeah and maybe you also need to take your meds. And keep your tinfoil hat on and stop making up stupid irrational pseudoscientific bullshit stories to explain something you don't understand.

[@mustvalge7705]

so u are this alien who took that shit in bushes and spread those fungi? Or why else would you be so angry about it? Mr. UNKNOWN alien shitfungus spreder.

[@Wardztv]

Glowing mushrooms!!

[@HURURI.]

Amazing!

[@ashish714]

Fungi are in many businesses in the earth, but when they pop out to play as mushrooms, their main business is reproduction. Insects spread spores, Einstein.

[@ArmendKrasniqi]

They are one a Wall Street too

[@Akash.Chopra]

what's fire's purpose of being bright? Might be the same for mushrooms.

[@Seiryuki2002]

If you eat them, they recharge your batteries.

[@relax.hemusicofnature4966]

Красиво ...

[@afaria01]

Etho sent me

[@cyanuranus6456]

I Love Looking at These Glowing Fungi. When I See Them in Cartoons. Like in The Episode of Oggy and The Cockroaches. The Episode of Oggy and The Cockroaches is Called "Oggy and Joey in Underground" and a Poppy Playtime Animation Video is Gametoons. The Poppy Playtime Animation Video is Called "THE PROTOTYPE vs. MOMMY LONG LEGS: REMATCH - (Poppy Playtime Animation)"

[@josephang9927]

Why insects like light at all?

[@geeksterajn]

because light is warm on a particle level, it is a proton and protons emit heat.. at least I'd like to think that's right

[@TruthNerds]

​@@geeksterajn Photons, not protons… also there are other reasons. Where there is light, there are usually plants, where there are plants, there is food for the insects (regardless of whether they feed off of plants directly). Also, insects can use the Sun or the Moon for navigation (it helps them maintain a straight line). This is why moths may stupidly circle around a streetlight.

[@naeday2374]

the background music is cute. where is it from?

[@user-rl6kt7hd7z]

Wow!

[@MuzikBike]

Anyone here from Etho?

[@NerdGamingOfficial]

Muzik Bike - Geometry Dash and stuff mee

[@geogeo3644]

Wut

[@geogeo3644]

I'm a fan of etho and this a big coincidence because I randomly searched this video and then I saw this

[@oimatewhatyouonabout8526]

what video did he reference this in

[@argosecho3522]

Imagine if humans had bioluminescence

[@TruthNerds]

We actually do, it's just incredibly faint. It can be picked up by a sensitive camera and very long exposure, though. EDIT: Obviously only in an almost totally dark room because otherwise everything will be overexposed.

[@albertparish1729]

@@TruthNerds bioluminescence imaging has medical advantages as well

[@Dang3rMouSe]

Now that is cool

[@Reman1791]

Where is this forest

[@kareno8634]

At night my Catnip was Eaten by Snails. (Hanging Plant) Wonder if plant puts out Color Snails See or it's the Scent?

[@thisninjajango]

Can we trip on these

[@HansWaldenmaier]

Probably not... Rumor has it that these won't kill you if you eat them, BUT, if you eat this species it will likely feel like you are having a heart attack and you will have bad Diarrhea... needless to say you will probably end up in the hospital. I do not recommend putting these mushrooms in your mouth.

[@worldofkruti5751]

Really natures wonderful creation...avatar movie plants

[@Wasnt-1]

maybe their role was to spread the fungi all throughout the forest

[@rockstaramit3037]

Nice ☺️

[@sultanalkhayat7765]

It could be to introduce some new micro organisms to help in the decomposition process🤔🤔🤔

[@albertparish1729]

im no expert so dont take this as fact but i doubt it. living organisms adapt to have traits that help them survive or reproduce. decomposition is an important process for the environment surrounding the organism but not at all for itself as usually the organism is already dead by the time decomposition starts and if the process starts while it's still alive, it brings on the organism's death.

[@azztekad7798]

there is paint like this 2 :)

[@kiranranjitkar2748]

Isn't its like moth attracted to lights ?

[@hijadokisaudagar]

Is it just me or Nat Geo has a thing for mushrooms now (I won't judge)

[@DefiantOne]

I came to this vid after playing Metro Exodus. 😉

[@jasminebriannatabanao4825]

I saw this on facebook and come here yo search it 😂

[@thotparraka6690]

I take it.

[@hili467]

Pollination... duh... insects pic up spores on their bodies then go land somewhere moist and decaying

[@doctorsunited3555]

Also found in Western ghats , INDIA

[@sancheztwins3319]

Who's with me now dahil nakakita ako ngayun ng glowing mushroom!

[@blorf4286]

cool

[@forcesightknight]

I hope they are edible, because they look delicious.

[@mikiprimus]

Using glue? Poor bugs :/

[@Thaijler]

I bet there are bioluminescent aliens which is where we get the stereotypical caricature from.

[@FarmingStationTV]

I love mushrooms. but those edible.