Stumbling on a piece of glowing wood out in the forest sounds like a magical experience, but it is possible. Under specific conditions, certain species of mushroom will fluoresce as they consume wood, although it’s rare and hard to recreate.

Now, scientists at Empa have managed to induce those conditions to make glow in the dark wood. The most effective combo turned out to be ringless honey fungus (Desarmillaria tabescens) and balsa wood, which was able to fluoresce for up to 10 days in wavelengths of 560 nanometers – a classic green glow.

  • @itsathursday
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    2212 days ago

    When I read the headline I thought this was spicy radioactive wood but this is way cooler.

    • Blaster M
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      English
      312 days ago

      I was hoping it to be extra spicy, but if it’s glowing that hard you don’t want to be anywhwere near it in that case.

      • @[email protected]
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        fedilink
        312 days ago

        Looks more like it’s just something you’d use as an indicator light. Like the legs of a table in the middle of the night. There doesn’t seem to be any actual radiance to it.