Foxfire

Foxfire ( English for " false fire ", also known as Shining wood, ie " Radiant Wood " known) refers to a bioluminescence caused by certain growing on rotting wood fungi.

Dissemination

Of the more than 100,000 known species of fungi are only 71 bioluminescent. The bioluminescence evolved into four lineages. It was demonstrated that the Biolumineszenzerscheinungen based in all four lineages on the same foundations.

Production and function of bioluminescence

The blue - green glow is attributed to the luciferin, which is excited by the enzyme luciferase by the addition of oxygen and peroxides in the emission of light as it is known among other things, of fireflies and Noctiluca. 2009 could prove that it is a two-step enzymatic mechanism that is different from the bacterial mechanism Oliveira and Stevani. Unlike the bacterial mechanism in fungi neither reduced riboflavin phosphate ( FMNH2 ) could still be detected long-chain aliphatic aldehydes.

The purpose of bioluminescence in fungi is not known, there are various theories cited. One purpose could be to attract bioluminescence responsive insects, so they nibble the fungal fruiting body and delay the spores. Another purpose could be the quenching of light-sensitive, mushroom -eating life forms. As a third possibility apotropische signals are suspected, the mushroom lights to draw attention to its toxicity.

History

The oldest known documentation of Foxfire is Aristotle from the year 382 BC His comments relate to a light, non- fire is cold when you touch it. The Roman scholar Pliny the Elder mentioned it also as a shining wood that occurs in olive groves.

At the suggestion of Benjamin Franklin, it was used as a light in the Turtle, an early American submarine.

Although there are many other literary evidence for Foxfire by early scientists and naturalists, the true cause of this bioluminescence was unknown until the year 1823. Finally, the lighting has been studied by wooden beams in underground mines, until it was found out that this acted to fungal growth.

Etymology

The part of word fox in the English term foxfire probably originates from the Old French word for fols 'wrong'. Thus, it is not the English word for fox, fox ' due.

In pop culture

• In the episode " Trapped" the fifth season of the TV series Lassie, Timmy and Boomer are looking for, Foxfire ' to keep girls during a Halloween party.

• In the novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain use Finn and Tom Sawyer, Foxfire ' as a light source to dig a tunnel.