The stinkhorn mushroom is one of the strangest-looking fungi in nature. Before it fully emerges, it begins as a pale, rubbery “egg” hidden partly in the soil, which can look more like something alien than something from an ordinary forest flo…Continue Reading
When it matures, it changes very quickly. The egg splits open and a tall, sponge-like stalk rises in just a matter of hours, which is one reason people often find it so surprising and eerie when they come across one in the woods.
- My Daughter Saved Me a Chair on Her Graduation Stage — Her Ex Tried to Have It Removed Before She Walked Out
My name is Marlene Voss, and my daughter saved me a chair onstage at her college graduation. Not in the audience. On […]
- My Sister Left Me a Voicemail About Mom’s “Fall” — She Said, “The Rug Was Pulled Out on Purpose”
At 6:14 on a Monday morning, my phone played a voicemail from my sister that was not meant for me. The night before, my […]
Its smell is what makes it especially famous. Once fully grown, the stinkhorn produces a strong odor like rotting flesh or decay, which can be shocking to anyone nearby. But that smell is not accidental — it serves an important purpose.
Instead of relying on wind to spread spores, the stinkhorn attracts flies and beetles with its foul scent. The insects land on the slimy cap, pick up the spores, and carry them elsewhere, making the mushroom’s unpleasant smell a clever survival strategy.