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A Sprinkling Of Rain Set Off These Puffball Fungi In Wisconsin

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clock-iconPUBLISHEDOctober 14, 2016

A Sprinkling Of Rain Set Off These Puffball Fungi In Wisconsin

Tom Hale headshot

Tom Hale

Tom Hale headshot

Tom Hale

Senior Journalist

Tom has a Master's degree in Journalism. His editorial work covers anything from archaeology and the environment to technology and culture.

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Senior Journalist

Tom has a Master's degree in Journalism. His editorial work covers anything from archaeology and the environment to technology and culture.View full profile

Tom has a Master's degree in Journalism. His editorial work covers anything from archaeology and the environment to technology and culture.

View full profile
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YouTube/Cid Freitag - UW

These sickly-looking dust clouds seem like something you’d find in a post-apocalyptic zombie horror video game, but they’re actually some puffball fungi enjoying an asexual spore spree, prompted by some rainfall.  

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The puffing puffballs were filmed just a few days ago in the grounds of the University of Wisconsin-Madison by YouTube user Cid Freitag.

These fleshy fungi asexually reproduce by releasing spores from their "gills". The slightest movement, such as wind or rain, causes them to bellow out their spores and allows them to spread around the local area, creating a sight that is simultaneously gross and beautiful.

[H/T: Sploid]
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ORIGINALLY PUBLISHEDOctober 14, 2016

Written by Tom Hale

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