• Transient Punk
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    628 days ago

    As far as I’m aware, we still don’t know why they produce psilocybin. Something that takes 30+ minutes to begin affecting you seems like a poor defense mechanism.

    We know with certainty that capsaicin does act as a deterrent against consumption, and capsaicin acts immediately…

    ¯⁠\⁠_⁠(⁠ツ⁠)⁠_⁠/⁠¯

    • @[email protected]
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      67 days ago

      i wonder how a chemical that can distort perception of time and space could be a useful defense mechanism… harder to find the mushroom when you cant remember where you ate it.

    • @fuck_u_spez_in_particular
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      26 days ago

      It’s just a guess, but it’s probably protection against other species than mammals (psilocybin I mean)…

      Regarding capsaicin, it’s protecting against (almost) everything that is isn’t a bird, birds don’t feel the capsaicin AFAIK.

    • @[email protected]
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      88 days ago

      Most of the ones with toxins strong enough to kill you won’t do so for months after you consumed it a single time. They know something about playing the long game.

    • @thawed_caveman
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      27 days ago

      They produce psilocybin because Satan told them to