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Wikimedia CommonsAn example of Armillaria ostoyae, the mushroom makes up the Humongous Fungus in Oregon.Oregons Malheur National Forest is a beautiful place. And its also home to one of the most fascinating organisms on Earth, an enormous, sprawling species of Armillaria ostoyae which has been dubbed a Humongous Fungus because of its truly jaw-dropping size. The A. ostoyae in Oregon, a species of fungus also known as honey mushrooms, is the largest single living organism by area on Earth. Not only does it cover thousands of acres, but its also believed to be 8,000 years old.This is the incredible story of Oregons Humongous Fungus, the largest organism in the world. The Discovery Of Oregons Humongous FungusThe presence of Armillaria ostoyae was first detected at Malheur National Forest in 1988 by Greg Whipple of the Forest Service. Around the same time, a sprawling colony of Armillaria gallica was documented in Crystal Falls, Michigan. The Michigan fungus was so large that it was dubbed a Humongous Fungus. And when experts in Oregon took a look at their Armillaria ostoyae, they realized they had a Humongous Fungus too. U.S. Forest ServiceA map of Armillaria ostoyae, the largest organism on Earth, in Malheur National Forest.From the beginning, it was clear that Oregons Humongous Fungus was big even bigger than Michigans. But as experts studied it, they realized that it was even bigger than they had thought. The Armillaria ostoyae colony was initially estimated to spread across 400 acres (Michigans Humongous Fungus spreads across 90) but genetic testing later revealed that it was one, single organism covering a sprawling 2,385 acres of forest. The largest organism on earth, by area, and the largest mushroom in the world, Oregons Humongous Fungus is not only big, but heavy. Its estimated to weigh up to 35,000 tons, or as much as 60 Boeing 747s. So how did Oregons Humongous Fungus get so large? The answer lies in its age. Experts believe that its roughly 8,000 years old. Despite its size and age, however, the worlds largest organism can be hard to spot. In Oregon, the Humongous Fungus only looks like typical honey mushrooms for a few weeks out of the year. Most of the time it looks like a webby, white substance when it grows above the ground, and sinewy black shoestring tendrils when it grows beneath the ground. Debora Lyn Porter/University of UtahArmillaria ostoyae seen growing beneath the bark of an infected tree in Oregon.A. ostoyae is mostly found in forests in British Columbia and the Pacific Northwest, though it has been documented in Asia and Europe as well. Its certainly a curious and impressive organism. But the Humongous Fungus is also deadly to most species of trees.How Armillaria Ostoyae Impacts The EnvironmentThe largest organism in the world is so large because it mostly grows underground. And it grows underground so that it can feed on trees, slowly killing them over the course over several decades. According to the Oregon Encyclopedia, the Humongous Fungus grows long, black filaments known as rhizomorphs which stretch out beneath the ground. They spread slowly just 0.7 to 3.3 feet a year but are deadly to the trees they encounter. The Humongous Fungus is a parasite eating the tree from the root, and will continue to feed on the tree even after its dead. Debora Lyn Porter/University of UtahThe black rhizomorphs from Oregons Humongous Fungus that was gathered by researchers.[Trees are] girdled by the fungus, Greg Filip, a pathologist with the U.S. Forest Service, told Oregon Public Broadcasting in 2015. The fungus will grow all the way around the base of the tree and then kills all the tissues.Trees who have been infected by A. ostoyae have symptoms like resin flowing from their base, yellow or thinning crowns, white mycelial under their bark or the tell-tale sign honey mushrooms growing nearby in the autumn. But Oregons Humongous Fungus doesnt kill trees instantly. The process is a slowly, steady process that takes decades. It could be 20, 30, 50 years maybe before [the tree] finally dies, Filip explained.Dohduhdah/Wikimedia CommonsHoney mushrooms growing on a tree trunk.As such, A. ostoyae can be considered an infestation, and its a frustrating problem for timber companies and farmers. But the fungus is extremely hard to eradicate. Only raking out every tendril of fungus can seemingly make a difference, something that most arent willing to do. In any case, the Humongous Fungus does play an important role in an ecosystems natural cycle. Theres a wildlife benefit to these trees, Filip explained. Once theyre dead, they decay, the birds begin to excavate them and use them for cavities.And while the fungus is deadly, the worlds largest organism has many fans. The Cultural Impact Of The Worlds Largest MushroomThe impact of the Humongous Fungus goes beyond the scientific community. The unique fungus has made a name for itself in larger popular culture and in local chambers of commerce. In Crystal Falls, Michigan, the home of the first Humongous Fungus, residents even throw a festival every year in honor of their own sprawling mushroom colony. Humongous Fungus Fest/FacebookA scene from Michigans Humongous Fungus Fest, which takes place every summer in honor of their sprawling Armillaria colony.Though Oregon is home to the largest mushroom in the world, it doesnt have anything like that so far. But the Oregon Humongous Fungus has made an impact in a different way. In 2012, author Richard Faulk named Malheur National Forest as one of his favorite gross places in America in his book Gross America, due to its Humongous Fungus. Dont be fooled by an ordinary looking mushroom. Beneath it broods an ancient horror that has been growing quietly for thousands of years, Faulk wrote. Oregons Humongous Fungus has also captured the tourism market, with blog and tourism sites promoting the National Forest not just for its natural beauty, but strange large fungus. It was also featured in PBSs Oregon Field Guide.Indeed, the Oregon Humongous Fungus is an especially remarkable mushroom. The largest organism in the world, by area, its five times larger than the country of Monaco. But because the worlds biggest mushroom grows primarily underground, it can be hard to spot. Perhaps there are other, even larger, Humongous Funguses in the world. For now, however, that crown belongs to Oregon. After reading about Oregons Humongous Fungus, the largest organism on Earth and the biggest mushroom in the world, take a look at these 31 photos of colorful and cool mushroom species. Then, learn about these 9 weird fungi species.The post Oregons Humongous Fungus: The Incredible Story Of The Largest Organism In The World appeared first on All That's Interesting.

Public DomainMuch of the capital city of Sarajevo was destroyed during the siege, which lasted from 1992 to 1996.Prosecutors in Milan are investigating claims that Italian civilians paid to be snipers for the Bosnian Serb army in Sarajevo during the siege of the city between 1992 and 1996.Italian journalist and writer Ezio Gavazzeni filed a legal complaint alleging that wealthy Italians paid large sums of money to go on sniper safaris, in which participants would shoot at civilians in Sarajevo. Gavazzenis suit identified five individuals who participated in these alleged crimes, but the public prosecutors office in Milan is looking to track down more people who may have been involved. Inside The Allegations Of Sniper Tourism In Bosnia And HerzegovinaThe military blockade of Sarajevo began in 1992 after Bosnia and Herzegovina declared independence from Yugoslavia. It was the longest siege in modern European history. The city and its residents experienced nearly constant shelling and sniper fire for almost four years, leading to over 11,000 deaths.Now, Italian counter terrorism prosecutor Alessandro Gobbis is looking into 17 pages of evidence submitted by Gavazzeni regarding alleged sniper tourism that took place during this siege. Gavazzeni told Italian newspaper La Repubblica that at least a hundred people took part in these safaris, allegedly paying up to $100,000 to participate. [The suit] exposes a part of society that hides its truth under the carpet, Gavazzeni told the outlet. Because were talking about wealthy people with reputations, entrepreneurs, who during the siege of Sarajevo paid to be able to kill defenseless civilians.Michael Bker/Wikimedia CommonsA memorial cemetery in Sarajevo for those who died in the war.Gavazzeni first wrote about these crimes more than 30 years ago, but he had no real evidence at the time. Then, he watched the 2022 documentary Sarajevo Safari, which alleged that residents of Italy, Russia, the United States, and more paid to shoot men, women, and children in Sarajevo. The claims made in the documentary by a former Bosnian Serb soldier have been vehemently denied by Serbian war veterans. Sarajevo Safari was the starting point, Gavazzeni told The Guardian. I began a correspondence with the director and from there expanded my investigation until I collected enough material to present to the Milan prosecutors.His 17-page filing included five men Gavazzeni identified as having participated in the safaris, accusing them of murder aggravated by cruelty and despicable motives.Did These Bosnian War Safaris Really Take Place?The sniper tourists mentioned in Gavazzenis complaint allegedly met in the northern Italian city of Trieste before traveling to Belgrade, Serbia. From there, they met soldiers of the Bosnian Serb army of Radovan Karadi and accompanied them to the hills surrounding Sarajevo. (Karadi was ultimately convicted of genocide.)Gavazzeni alleges that those who participated were given a price list for specific targets. He claims children cost the most to kill, followed by women and men. Others, like elderly people, could be shot for free. Christian Marchal/Wikimedia CommonsOver 11,000 people died during the siege of Sarajevo. Here, residents cut tree branches for firewood to survive the frigid winter of 1992.Not everyone is buying Gavazzenis claims, however. The BBC spoke to British soldiers who served in Sarajevo, who claimed there was no indication of any foreign sniper tourism. One soldier referred to the allegations as an urban myth.However, Nicola Brigida, a lawyer who helped Gavazzeni put together his complaint, believes it could lead to convictions. Individuals alleged to have been involved with the safaris, as well as witnesses, are going to be questioned by Italian authorities in the coming weeks. As Brigida said, The evidence accumulated after a long investigation [by Gavazzeni] is well substantiated and could lead to serious investigation to identify the culprits.After reading about the investigation into the alleged sniper tourism during the Bosnian War, discover the bloody rule of Croatian dictator Ante Paveli. Then, learn about the deadliest sniper in history.The post Italy Is Investigating Reports That Wealthy Tourists Paid Up To $100,000 To Kill Civilians During The Bosnian War appeared first on All That's Interesting.

Reverend Paul FilleryThe tomb collapse at All Saints Church in Martock.After about 300 years of rain and erosion, an 18th-century tomb at All Saints Church in Martock, Somerset, England, recently collapsed into the ground. At first, church officials thought that the tomb had been swallowed by a sinkhole. But on second look, they realized that the tomb had actually been built atop a hidden crypt dug deep into the earth.Such structural failure, church officials said, is extremely rare. And sadly, the extent of the destruction may make it impossible to learn who was buried in approximately the mid-1700s though officials do have a guess.How A Collapsed Box Tomb Revealed A Hidden Crypt At All Saints ChurchThe graveyard at All Saints Church in Martock, Somerset, England, was disturbed earlier this month, when a box tomb believed to be from the 1750s suddenly collapsed. Though officials initially thought that the tomb had fallen into a sinkhole, they soon realized that the above-ground monument had actually been the crowning ornament of a subterranean crypt, and that the tomb had fallen into the hollow beneath it.The collapse created a 12-foot hole. Its unclear if the collapse damaged any of the surrounding graves, or if the ground remains unstable.All Saints ChurchThe walls of the crypt were made with local Ham stone.We are dealing with a collapsed family vault dating back perhaps to the 1750s, Reverend Paul Fillery, the Vicar of Martock, told Church Times. Underground, [the family] constructed a substantial room made of local Ham stone with a solid floor and ceiling. The family would have been placed on shelves that lined the walls. This was topped outside by a box tomb monument with their names on the faces of the monument.In an interview with BBC Radio Somerset, Fillery further explained that the crypt was a vault in which the family were buried [and that] there could be as many as four people down there they would have been put on ledges.All Saints ChurchAnother view of how the box tomb collapsed onto the family crypt beneath it.Erosion, it seems, played a role in the collapse of the tomb, though Fillery noted that such a collapse is unusual. Unfortunately, the destruction has made it impossible to find the names of the people who buried inside.However, church officials do have an idea of who may have owned this crypt.The Family Possibly Buried In The Newly-Uncovered Crypt In MartockThe crypt was seemingly constructed for a wealthy, distinguished family who lived in the area during the 18th century. Though the names of the dead are now impossible to read and church officials have not yet recovered any human remains from the crypt Fillery told BBC Radio Somerset that its possible to make an educated guess about the identities of the people buried inside.We think it could be the Pittard family, he said, who had a verythriving leather business locally. We think its them They would have had a lot of money, and these box tombs you see in churchyards are really a statement saying, these are significant people buried here underneath the ground.'According to the Martock Parish Council, immediately and urgent works have been scheduled to retrieve the monument from inside the vault, though, for now, the area is cordoned off for public safety.David Bown/Wikimedia CommonsThe Church of All Saints in Martock, Somerset, England.This tomb collapse is a surprising chapter in the history of All Saints Church, a church that was built in the 13th century, then significantly rebuilt in the 15th and 16th centuries. According to Fillery, such a thing is practically unheard of and seems to have been caused by simple structural failure.The roof sadly has failed over the years, he said. [Its] very, very rare. The church building advisor from the dioceses has never seen anything quite like this, so it is a rare thing to happen.After reading about the tomb collapse that revealed a crypt at All Saints Church in Martock, Somerset, England, discover the story of the catacombs of Rome, the snaking network of underground tombs beneath the ancient city. Then, look through these chilling images of the Paris catacombs.The post An 18th-Century Tomb Just Collapsed In An English Churchyard And Revealed A Mysterious Crypt Hidden Underneath appeared first on All That's Interesting.

Nothing satisfies like an old-school diner breakfast. This hole-in-the-wall favorite in Altoona, Pennsylvania, has been serving up one of the best since 1933.

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