Aug 6, 2026 · 30 min · 10 segments
Glowing plants and mushrooms are a staple of science fiction and fantasy environments, but did you know these fantastical elements are based on real organisms? This episode should be called glowing…
Humans are fascinated by gore and violence, but even more so the mysterious and unsolved.
Interest in these disturbing and unpleasant subjects is called morbid curiosity, and it has gripped millions of people throughout the ages.
I am one of those people.
Have you ever experienced glowing plants and mushrooms while playing a fantasy game or reading a book? Usually, these luminescent organisms inhabit underground spaces like the Underdark in Baldur's Gate 3, or deep dark forests like in Pokémon Sword and Shield, or marine environments like in Subnautica.
Glowing plants and mushrooms are a staple of science fiction and fantasy environments.
But did you know these fantastical elements are based on real organisms? In this episode, we're going to talk about a few of them.
I should call this episode Glowing Non-Animal Organisms, but that doesn't really roll off the tongue.
I'm going to discuss fungi, moss, algae, and plants that glow, using bioluminescence and other unique mechanisms.
There aren't actually any plants that are naturally bioluminescent, but some have recently been genetically engineered to produce light.
I'll talk about those near the end of the episode.
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Humans are fascinated by gore and violence, but even more so the mysterious and unsolved.
Interest in these disturbing and unpleasant subjects is called morbid curiosity, and it has gripped millions of people throughout the ages.
I am one of those people.
Have you ever experienced glowing plants and mushrooms while playing a fantasy game or reading a book? Usually, these luminescent organisms inhabit underground spaces like the Underdark in Baldur's Gate 3, or deep dark forests like in Pokémon Sword and Shield, or marine environments like in Subnautica.
Glowing plants and mushrooms are a staple of science fiction and fantasy environments.
But did you know these fantastical elements are based on real organisms? In this episode, we're going to talk about a few of them.
I should call this episode Glowing Non-Animal Organisms, but that doesn't really roll off the tongue.
I'm going to discuss fungi, moss, algae, and plants that glow, using bioluminescence and other unique mechanisms.
There aren't actually any plants that are naturally bioluminescent, but some have recently been genetically engineered to produce light.
I'll talk about those near the end of the episode.
