Photoshoot Dodge Challenger R/T Classic (by Bas Fransen Photography)
mycena chlorophanos
“Long before we artificially created glow-in-the-dark objects, a few fungi evolved to use this characteristic we so desire. The phenomenon in nature is called bioluminescence and is restricted to a small group of species. While most fungi don’t possess this ability, there are some 71 known species of bioluminescent mushrooms contained within three groups— the Omphalotus, Armillaria, and Mycenoid lineages. Their degrees of light intensity differ; while many of the Australian species are very luminous, North American species tend to emit less light and require adjustment to the dark before they can be seen. Reports of these fungi date back to Pliny the Elder in the first century, who described luminescent white wood-decaying mushrooms in France. Even earlier, Aristotle had commented on glowing rotten wood, now known to be a product of the luminescent mycelium within, a subject which continued to be one of great mystery throughout European history. In 1555, Swede Olaus Magnus published A Compendious History of the Goths, Swedes, and Vandals and Other Northern Nations, which mentioned numerous luminescent mushrooms such as the “Agarick” and their connection to wood decay; he also described the practical use of mycelia-infested bark (often called “Foxfire” or “Faerie fire”) by Scandinavians during long winter nights. The practical uses of these mushrooms extended to other areas of the globe as well; in the late 17th Century in Herbarium Amboiense, Dutch physician G.E. Rumph commented on how Indonesian natives used bioluminescent mushrooms as primitive flashlights. And even in 20th Century Micronesia, these special mushrooms were incorporated into ritual headdresses and warfare face paint.”
