In January 2026, a mushroom began to appear in various news outlets after its appearance on the BBC due to its unique effects, Lanmaoa asiatica.
Doctors at hospitals in Yunnan Province, China (the natural habitat of Lanmaoa asiatica) report hundreds of cases every year, with 96% of the patients reporting the same visions of “tiny people” or “elves” dancing, jumping, or marching around the environment.
What makes the mushroom people see these "tiny people" is still unknown to science; however, there is a chance that these effects could be caused by popular beliefs and folk remoting to Daoist texts from the 3rd century CE referring to a flesh spirit mushroom that, if consumed raw allows people to “see a little person” and “attain transcendence immideatly”.
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by BorodinAldolReaction
4 Comments
My son told me about this. It sounds very alarming and scary! Especially since everyone describes the same beings
So these effects have been documented since at least the 3rd century CE.
The same effect.
Interesting!
Most interesting explanation is that the actual fungi hive mind is connecting to the human mind in the only way it can. With images of tiny, unthreatening human forms. I did a deep dive with Gemini 3.1, and it was quite fascinating.
I keep hearing about these. Anyone know what they’re called or where one might get them?