Laura Smith
The red-capped Amanita muscaria mushroom, commonly known as the fly agaric, is widely believed to have inspired the Super Mario mushrooms. The mushroom is known for its psychoactive and hallucinogenic effects, leading many to speculate that Mario's adventures are influenced by psychedelic mushrooms. While the Super Mario Bros. creators have denied any direct association with psychedelics, the idea of mushrooms providing magical powers has been a part of folklore and literature for centuries, from Siberian shamanic rituals to Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. The recent rise of microdosing has sparked interest in the potential wellness benefits of this magic mushroom, with startups exploring its unique pharmacological properties and its ability to modulate wakefulness and treat various pathologies.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Common Name | Fly Agaric |
| Scientific Name | Amanita Muscaria |
| Cap Colour | Bright Red |
| Cap Features | White Spots/Warts |
| Toxicity | Poisonous, but rarely fatal |
| Psychoactivity | Yes |
| Psychoactive Compound | Muscimol |
| Cultural Significance | Featured in Super Mario, Alice in Wonderland, Disney's Fantasia, and The Smurfs |
| Traditional Use | Insecticide |
| Traditional Use | Entheogenic traditions and rituals |
| Microdosing | Potential benefits are being explored |
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What You'll Learn
- The Mario mushroom is based on the Amanita muscaria, or fly agaric, mushroom
- This mushroom is hallucinogenic and psychoactive, with the active ingredient muscimol
- It is not currently a popular mushroom for recreational or medicinal use
- The idea that Mario is hallucinating is a popular fan theory
- Microdosing with the Mario mushroom is a recent topic of discussion
The Mario mushroom is based on the Amanita muscaria, or fly agaric, mushroom
Amanita muscaria is commonly known as the fly agaric or fly amanita. It is a basidiomycete fungus of the genus Amanita. The mushroom typically features a bright red cap covered with distinctive white warts and white spots. The warts are the remnants of the universal veil that covers young mushrooms as they grow and can be removed by rain. The mushrooms are large and sturdy, but the cap easily detaches from the thick stem.
Amanita muscaria is famous not only for its appearance but also for its psychoactive and hallucinogenic effects. It contains the psychoactive compound muscimol, which works on GABAA receptors in the body, and ibotenic acid. While fatal poisonings are extremely rare, the mushroom can cause poisoning, especially in those seeking its hallucinogenic effects. It is also technically poisonous and can cause uncomfortable nausea and seizures.
The mushroom has been featured in art and literature since the Renaissance and has become iconic in fairy tales, children's books, and media like the Super Mario games and Disney's Fantasia. Its distinctive appearance has made it a popular subject for depictions of gnomes and fairies in garden ornaments and children's picture books. It has also been featured in paintings, including Hieronymus Bosch's "The Garden of Earthly Delights".
In terms of its psychoactive effects, Amanita muscaria has a long history of cultural use. It plays a pivotal role in Indigenous Siberian religious practices and may have inspired the legend of Santa Claus. It has also been associated with images of someone magically shrinking or growing, as in the Super Mario games and Alice in Wonderland.
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This mushroom is hallucinogenic and psychoactive, with the active ingredient muscimol
The Mario mushroom, or the Amanita muscaria mushroom, is indeed a hallucinogenic and psychoactive mushroom with the active ingredient muscimol. This distinctive red-capped mushroom with white spots, also known as the fly agaric or fly amanita, is one of the most recognisable fungi in the world. Its active ingredient, muscimol, is a psychoactive compound that works on GABAA receptors in the body, triggering a range of hallucinations and stimulating or sedating effects depending on the person and the timing of ingestion.
The Amanita muscaria mushroom has a long history of cultural use and has been featured in art and literature since the Renaissance. It has appeared in various media, including the Super Mario games, Disney's Fantasia, and Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. The mushroom is also significant in Indigenous Siberian religious practices and may have inspired the legend of Santa Claus.
Amanita muscaria is technically poisonous and can cause uncomfortable nausea and seizures. However, fatal poisonings are extremely rare. The mushroom's hallucinogenic and psychoactive effects have been described as similar to "psychedelic ketamine," and it has been explored for its potential wellness benefits and unique types of healing.
While the mushroom's connection to the Super Mario franchise is often joked about in popular culture, it is unlikely that the creators directly associated the mushroom with psychedelics. The mushroom's power-up ability in the game was likely inspired by the story of Alice in Wonderland, where Alice eats a mushroom to grow larger.
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It is not currently a popular mushroom for recreational or medicinal use
The Mario mushroom, or the Amanita muscaria, is a well-known mushroom with a bright red cap and white spots. It is often associated with the idea of shrinking or growing in size, as seen in the Super Mario games and Alice in Wonderland. While the mushroom is famous and has hallucinogenic effects, it is not currently a popular mushroom for recreational or medicinal use.
Amanita muscaria, commonly known as fly agaric, is a fungus of the genus Amanita. It is native to the Northern Hemisphere's temperate and boreal forests and has now spread to the Southern Hemisphere. The mushroom contains psychoactive compounds like muscimol and ibotenic acid, which can cause hallucinations and poisoning, especially in children and those seeking its hallucinogenic effects. However, fatal poisonings are extremely rare.
The Mario mushroom has a long history of cultural use, including in Indigenous Siberian religious practices and possibly inspiring the legend of Santa Claus. It has also appeared in art and literature since the Renaissance, featuring in paintings, children's books, and media like the Super Mario games and Disney's Fantasia. Despite its cultural significance and hallucinogenic properties, Amanita muscaria is not widely used for recreational or medicinal purposes.
One reason for its lack of popularity in these areas could be the limited research on muscimol, the primary psychoactive ingredient in Amanita muscaria. Psilocybin, another psychoactive compound found in different types of mushrooms, has received more attention in recent years and is considered the backbone of several biotech startups. In contrast, muscimol has been largely ignored by scientists and recreational drug users, although this may be slowly changing with the increasing trend of mushroom wellness.
Additionally, the Amanita muscaria mushroom may not be the first choice for recreational or medicinal use due to its potential side effects. While fatal poisonings are rare, it can cause uncomfortable nausea and seizures. Furthermore, withdrawal symptoms such as mood imbalance and insomnia have been reported by some individuals who have ended their Amanita muscaria microdosing regimen. Therefore, despite its cultural significance and hallucinogenic properties, Amanita muscaria, or the Mario mushroom, is not currently a popular choice for recreational or medicinal use.
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The idea that Mario is hallucinating is a popular fan theory
Amanita muscaria is famous for its hallucinogenic properties, which have been described as akin to a "psychedelic ketamine". It contains psychoactive compounds, including muscimol and ibotenic acid, which can induce hallucinations and have been used in entheogenic traditions and rituals. The idea that Mario's adventures are influenced by the consumption of these mushrooms is a long-standing joke among fans of the franchise. Some players treat this theory as absolute truth, believing that the entire game is a hallucination brought on by mushroom intoxication.
The concept of Mario's hallucinations is further supported by the similarities between the Super Mario franchise and Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. The idea that Lewis Carroll's story is a hallucinogenic voyage became popular in the 1960s and has persisted since. Both works feature characters who grow or shrink in size after ingesting mushrooms, and the Amanita muscaria mushroom has been suggested as the inspiration for this aspect of Carroll's story.
The idea that Mario's experiences are the result of mushroom-induced hallucinations has gained enough traction to be discussed in publications such as Den of Geek and Discover Magazine. Additionally, the potential benefits of microdosing with Amanita muscaria have been explored in books like Baba Masha's Microdosing with A. muscaria, which has sparked further interest in the therapeutic potential of this often-overlooked mushroom.
While the Super Mario franchise has never explicitly confirmed that the Super Mushroom power-up is intended to represent the Amanita muscaria mushroom, the similarities in appearance and the cultural associations of "magic mushrooms" support the fan theory that Mario's adventures are influenced by hallucinogenic experiences.
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Microdosing with the Mario mushroom is a recent topic of discussion
The Amanita muscaria mushroom, commonly known as the fly agaric or fly amanita, is a distinctive white-spotted, bright red-capped mushroom. It is native to the Northern Hemisphere's temperate and boreal forests and has spread to the Southern Hemisphere. It is famous worldwide, appearing in art and literature since the Renaissance, from fairy tales and children's books to modern media like the Super Mario games and Disney's Fantasia.
The Mario mushroom, or A. muscaria, is known for its psychoactive and hallucinogenic effects. While it is technically poisonous and can cause nausea and seizures, it is rarely fatal. The primary psychoactive ingredient is muscimol, which works on GABAA receptors in the body, triggering a range of hallucinations and stimulating or sedating effects depending on the person and the timing of ingestion.
Microdosing with the Mario mushroom has recently gained attention, with several books published on the topic. Baba Masha's book, "Microdosing with A. muscaria," is the first formally published work to examine the growing phenomenon of microdosing with the classic red-and-white fairy-tale mushroom. Masha highlights the unique potential of A. muscaria as a microdosing agent due to its wide range of effects on various pathologies. Harret and Sasha's book, "A. muscaria microdosing," offers a self-help-style guide with a simple breakdown of microdosing techniques and recipes. The increasing popularity of microdosing with the Mario mushroom has sparked a burst of publishing activity, which advocates hope will lead to further studies on its potential healing benefits.
The Mario mushroom's psychedelic properties have long been a topic of discussion, with some speculating that the Super Mario games were inspired by "magic mushrooms." The idea that Mario's consumption of mushrooms in the games is linked to psychedelic experiences has been a long-standing joke among players, with references to it in Reddit communities and other online forums. However, it is unlikely that the Super Mario Bros. team directly associated the mushroom power-up with psychedelics, and creator Shigeru Miyamoto has denied any connection to Alice in Wonderland's hallucinogenic themes.
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Frequently asked questions
The Mario mushroom is a power-up in the Super Mario Bros. franchise that makes Mario grow larger.
The Mario mushrooms are thought to be based on Amanita muscaria mushrooms, also known as fly agaric mushrooms. These mushrooms are hallucinogenic and have psychoactive effects. However, they are not the most popular type of mushroom for recreational use.
In the Super Mario Bros. games, eating a mushroom makes Mario grow larger and gives him additional abilities, such as increased strength and endurance.
Yes, the Amanita muscaria mushroom is technically poisonous and can cause uncomfortable nausea and seizures. It can also lead to hallucinations and has been associated with "magic mushroom" trips.
The Amanita muscaria mushroom has appeared in various forms of media and popular culture, including Super Mario, Alice in Wonderland, and Disney's Fantasia. Additionally, it plays a significant role in Indigenous Siberian religious practices and has been referenced in literary works by writers such as Oliver Goldsmith, Thomas Pynchon, and Alan Garner.
