Ancient Egyptians believed mushrooms paved the way to immortality, and ancient Romans believed they were a food of the gods and gave mushrooms to warriors at special feasts to increase their strength.4
A 14th century Chinese medical text claims shiitake mushrooms can be used to activate chi, the body’s natural life force.4
France led the formal cultivation of mushrooms and grew them in special caves near Paris set aside for this type of agriculture.4
Europe’s biggest mushroom was found in a Swiss national park in 2004—it is a 1,000-year-old fungus that covers an area roughly equivalent to 100 football fields.4
Some mushrooms are bioluminescent, and the jack-o’-lantern mushroom can produce enough light to read by.4