Individuals from distant locations have shared remarkably odd experiences after consuming specific wild mushrooms, reporting visions of small human-like figures that seem to navigate the real world—moving around items, climbing surfaces, and interacting with their environment.
These experiences are termed Lilliputian hallucinations, which are named after the tiny characters in “Gulliver’s Travels” who are merely 6 inches tall. For many years, scientists have theorized that cultural narratives and local folklore could explain the similarity of these experiences across different regions.
However, recent research indicates that there might actually be a biological basis for this phenomenon.
Researchers from the University of Utah (U) utilized DNA sequencing to identify Lanmaoa asiatica as the type of mushroom linked to these extraordinary hallucinations found in Southwest China and the northern Philippines. In a surprising twist, their findings revealed no known psychoactive compounds, such as psilocybin, within the mushrooms.
This implies the possibility of an entirely new hallucinogenic compound being produced by the mushroom. Pinpointing this substance could aid scientists in understanding more about neurological disorders, atypical visual experiences, and how the brain constructs our perception of reality.
The study was led by Colin Domnauer, a doctoral candidate at the U, alongside Bryn Dentinger, a mycologist affiliated with both the university and the Natural History Museum of Utah. The research findings were published in the journal Mycologia.
During an interview, Domnauer discussed how they pinpointed the mushroom’s identity, the peculiar effects it produces, and the broader implications of their discovery beyond just fungi.
A Century-Old Mystery of Tiny Human Hallucinations
This scientific enigma dates back to 1934, when researchers from the West discovered reports of residents in Papua New Guinea experiencing vivid visions of miniature humans after ingesting wild mushrooms, a phenomenon later dubbed “mushroom madness.”
In the 1950s and 1960s, anthropologists and mushroom specialists ventured to Papua New Guinea to gather more information, suggesting several species within the Boletaceae (bolete) family might be responsible.
Despite their investigations, chemical analyses failed to uncover any substances that could account for the hallucinations. Albert Hofmann, the scientist who first isolated psilocybin and discovered LSD, even examined samples and was unable to find an active ingredient.
Without a chemical explanation, some researchers began to question whether the mushrooms caused the visions at all, proposing cultural expectations or traditional beliefs as alternative explanations. By the close of the 1960s, scientific inquiries into the phenomenon diminished.
The mystery re-emerged in the 1990s when individuals in Yunnan, Southwest China, reported experiencing similar hallucinations after consuming bolete mushrooms. Although the exact species remained inconclusive, many researchers speculated about Lanmaoa asiatica.
Scientists Identify the Mushroom Behind the Strange Visions
Another significant lead appeared in 2024 when Domnauer discovered similar hallucinations among an Indigenous community in the remote Northern Cordillera region of the Philippines.
Community members recounted experiences with a wild edible mushroom, referred to as “Sedesdem,” that occasionally leads to sightings of tiny human figures. Comparable mushrooms are popularly known as “Nonda” in Papua New Guinea and “Jian shou qing” in Yunnan.
Although these mushrooms play a crucial role in local cuisines, consuming them without adequate cooking can evoke these strange hallucinations.
The reports from the Philippines represented another independent account of wild mushrooms inciting remarkably similar visions of tiny individuals.
To probe further, Domnauer traveled to Yunnan and the Philippines, conducted interviews with local residents, and collected specimens of L. asiatica along with other mushrooms within the Lanmaoa genus.
This fieldwork entailed the first scientific survey of fungi in the northern Philippines. Researchers analyzed the DNA from the collected mushrooms to ascertain their identities and evolutionary connections.
The analyses confirmed that the mushrooms known as Jian shou qing in China and Sedesdem in the Philippines were both classified as L. asiatica, which was an unexpected finding since scientists previously believed the species was exclusive to China.
Dentinger also visited Papua New Guinea to gather specimens from where this mystery initially emerged. Unfortunately, the dry weather there hindered the collection of samples for genetic analysis.
While the Papua New Guinea mushroom remains unverified, the evidence from China and the Philippines provides significant links. Three culturally distinct groups have reported the same specific hallucinations, and DNA tests have identified two instances as linked to a singular mushroom species.
This consistency suggests there may be a shared biological explanation rather than merely disparate cultural influences.
Hallucinations of Tiny Humans That Seem Remarkably Real
What’s particularly intriguing about these hallucinations is their striking uniformity across various accounts.
People typically report seeing numerous miniature figures, often ranging from 3 to 30 centimeters tall. The figures appear with startling clarity, often seeming as real as people.
Domnauer noted that around 90% of those who have these experiences describe the figures as resembling elves, clowns, or other fairy-like creatures, usually dressed in colorful attire.
Even more astonishing is how these imagined figures behave.
Instead of floating through walls or disregarding their environment, they follow familiar physical laws. They navigate around obstacles, move across regular objects, and sometimes tumble off the edges of furniture.
One memorable account Domnauer shared involved a person eating soup. This individual claimed to have seen tiny humans leap from a spoon into the bowl and then swim around. Interestingly, when the person took another spoonful, the miniature figures were still visible inside their mouth.
Such immersive interactions set these visions apart from many other forms of drug-induced hallucinations.
A Mysterious Psychedelic Compound Unlike Any Known Drug
The research team also sought to determine whether L. asiatica contains any known compounds that induce psychedelic experiences.
Utilizing both chemical analysis and genetic testing, they looked for established psychoactive substances found in other mushrooms.
To their surprise, they found none.
The absence of familiar hallucinogens is particularly striking given how different the mushroom’s effects are from typical psychedelic drugs.
Researchers now hypothesize that L. asiatica produces an unidentified psychoactive agent responsible for the hallucinations of tiny human figures.
As this compound has not yet been isolated or identified chemically, its nature and mechanism remain largely a mystery.
Identifying it could pave the way for new research into how certain chemicals modify visual perception.
What the Mushroom Could Reveal About the Human Brain
Even though L. asiatica consistently triggers Lilliputian hallucinations, these visions are not exclusive to mushroom consumption.
Accounts of miniature human-like beings appear in various folktales around the globe. Similar hallucinations have also been reported in individuals going through alcohol withdrawal, dementia, macular degeneration, and other neurological conditions.
These correlations imply the possibility that the visions stem from core aspects of how the brain interprets visual stimuli.
However, the neurological mechanisms causing these experiences remain poorly understood, and the best methods for addressing them in clinical settings are still unclear.
This is where the enigmatic mushroom could prove especially beneficial.
Unlike the neurological conditions where Lilliputian hallucinations occur rather sporadically, L. asiatica can elicit these phenomena more consistently and recognizably.
If researchers manage to isolate the responsible chemical, they may access a valuable tool for investigating the brain circuits and processes that lead to these unusually vivid visual experiences.
This research could ultimately enhance the scientific understanding of hallucinations tied to neurological disorders.
The next major goal for the research team is isolating and identifying the suspected psychedelic substance.
DNA Sequencing Reveals Four Previously Unknown Mushroom Species
The investigation also uncovered exciting information about fungal diversity.
Instead of focusing solely on L. asiatica, Domnauer and Dentinger undertook the first thorough genomic analysis of the Lanmaoa genus.
They examined 53 mushroom specimens collected from their natural environments and preserved in fungarium collections worldwide.
The genetic sequencing unveiled 17 species within the group, including four previously unidentified by science.
Remarkably, two of these newly recognized species had been preserved in existing collections in the United States, but their distinct identities had remained unnoticed until the DNA analysis was conducted.
The analysis further indicated that L. asiatica is the only known species within the genus to display psychoactive effects.
Scientists are now aiming to reconstruct the evolutionary history of the group, seeking to understand how this unusual chemical trait came to be and whether related mushrooms might yield similar substances.
These findings also underscore the importance of museum collections in scientific research, as specimens preserved for long periods can harbor biological discoveries that emerge only when new analytical techniques are utilized.
For Domnauer, the hidden diversity found in these collections serves as a reminder that many species and potentially significant biological traits are still out there, waiting to be discovered.
Exploring Fungi Could Lead to New Medicines and Discoveries
The implications of this research extend far beyond peculiar hallucinations.
Fungi remain among the least explored groups of organisms, and researchers believe their diverse chemical compounds might offer valuable insights into biology, medicine, and the nervous system.
A well-known example is penicillin, the antibiotic derived from a fungus, which revolutionized the treatment of bacterial infections and remains one of the most important medical breakthroughs of the last century.
Scientists hope that ongoing exploration of fungal diversity may uncover other compounds with medical benefits and previously unknown biological processes.
The mysterious properties of L. asiatica highlight just how much remains to be understood in the fungal kingdom. A mushroom consumed in Asian cultures for years may harbor a substance that could unlock new insights into how the human brain operates and how it generates conscious experience.
The research received funding from the National Science Foundation (award #DEB-2114785).
