FREE! Click here to Join FunTrivia. Thousands of games, quizzes, and lots more!
Fun Trivia
Home: Questions and Answers Forum
Answers to 100,000 Fascinating Questions
Welcome to FunTrivia's Question & Answer forum!

Search All Questions


Please cite any factual claims with citation links or references from authoritative sources. Editors continuously recheck submissions and claims.

Archived Questions

Goto Qn #


Why do some mushroom species glow in the dark?

Question #150434. Asked by psnz.
Last updated Jan 07 2024.
Originally posted Jan 07 2024 9:06 PM.

avatar
BigTriviaDawg star
Answer has 3 votes
Currently Best Answer
BigTriviaDawg star
7 year member
1007 replies avatar

Answer has 3 votes.

Currently voted the best answer.
The exact reason is not completely known however the leading theory is to attract insects to help spread spores. Not all mushrooms light up in the same spot and even mycosal networks underground can sometimes light up. Often luminous mushrooms tend to grow where there is little wind, insects are an excellent way to spread the spores to new places. While it seems most mushrooms will only glow at night, others under good nutrition conditions will continually glow. Nature always finds a way! One other theory was that they would glow to make insects and arachnids that eat the mushroom more visible to preditors and thus protect the mushroom.

link https://www.forbes.com/sites/linhanhcat/2019/10/08/mushrooms-glow-in-the-dark/?sh=38abfc474e70
Bioluminescence is light generated from chemical reactions in the bodies of living things, and beings from fireflies and jellyfish to some bacteria and – yes – fungi can produce this effect. Bioluminescent reactions in fungi follow a basic formula: an enzyme interacts with a light-emitting compound with help from additional enzymes, water, and oxygen. The light-emitting molecules are called luciferins, and the enzymes that interact with them are called luciferases. All 120 known bioluminescent mushrooms use the same family of fungal luciferins and luciferases.

link https://northernwoodlands.org/outside_story/article/bioluminescent-mushrooms

Response last updated by BigTriviaDawg on Jan 07 2024.
Jan 07 2024, 9:09 PM
free email trivia FREE! Get a new mixed Fun Trivia quiz each day in your email. It's a fun way to start your day!


arrow Your Email Address:

Sign in or Create Free User ID to participate in the discussion

Related FunTrivia Quizzes

play quiz The Warm Glow of Many Phoenix Rising Christmases
(Christmas Around the World)
play quiz Mushroom, Mushroom
(Food Themed)
play quiz Mushroom Kingdom
(Fruit and Vegetables)

Return to FunTrivia
"Ask FunTrivia" strives to offer the best answers possible to trivia questions. We ask our submitters to thoroughly research questions and provide sources where possible. Feel free to post corrections or additions. This is server B184.