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This mysterious mushroom makes people see hundreds of tiny humans | ScienceDaily
(www.sciencedaily.com)
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this post was submitted on 25 Oct 2026
266 points (98.9% liked)
Mildly Interesting
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What exactly is destroyed by heat? Is there a compound in the mushroom that has been identified?
In the article they mention no specific substance has been isolated. Though, there are now 2 (or 3) varieties of mushroom each from a different location that provide similar hallucinations, so it might be easier to find the substance if it is shared by all the varieties and if there aren't a lot of other chemicals in common.
They do know it's not psilocybin or LSD (in these mushrooms).
Well lsd isn’t found in nature, but it is synthesized from ergot, a grain fungus.
Yes, even further than that, there is no known hallucinogen in these mushrooms. Identifying the mechanism could open up some interesting possibilities.
Side note, the onset of the effects is 12-24 hours after the ingestion of the raw or undercooked mushrooms. This delayed onset has resulted in the hypothesis that the active compound is actually a prodrug that gets converted into something else that's psychoactive as we metabolize it.
I've been following this story for a while and find it fascinating. Can't wait for Hamilton Morris to do a video on it.