The Mysterious Mushroom That Makes You See Tiny People

A new study published in Mycologia has brought attention to a strange and little-understood phenomenon: a mushroom that induces vivid hallucinations of miniature people, without the typical effects associated with "magic" mushrooms.

A Unique Hallucinogenic Experience

Unlike common psychoactive mushrooms that contain psilocybin or psilocin, the species Lanmaoa asiatica triggers a very specific kind of hallucination known as Lilliputian hallucinations—the perception of tiny, fully-formed people inhabiting the real world around the user.

"Three-dimensionally-rendered, highly-detailed figures inhabiting your exterior world."

This is how researcher Colin Domnauer of the University of Utah describes the experience. Notably, these hallucinations occur without the other typical psychedelic effects associated with psilocybin-containing mushrooms.

Key Facts About the Mushroom

The Psychoactive Compound Remains Unknown
Despite scientific investigation, the specific compound responsible for these hallucinations has not been identified. Genome sequencing of L. asiatica found no genes known to produce typical psychoactive compounds.

Delayed Onset and Duration
Hallucinations appear 12–24 hours after ingestion and may persist for several days—a timeline unlike most psychedelics.

Culinary Use
The mushroom is native to pine forests in southwestern China and the northern Philippines, where it is commonly sold in markets for food. Locals are aware of the hallucinogenic effect but continue to eat it anyway.

The Trigger
Undercooked ingestion is associated with the hallucinogenic effect.

The Scientific Mystery

"Even to this day science doesn't understand what's going on in the brain to cause this, or how to treat it, and this mushroom is the only thing that we currently know of to reliably produce this effect." — Colin Domnauer

Domnauer is studying the Lanmaoa genus to identify the psychoactive compound. Tests on mice have narrowed down candidate compounds, but no definitive identification has been made—leaving a perplexing question unanswered: what is causing these tiny visions?