Fungi
Researchers have found that psilocybin, the hallucinogenic compound in magic mushrooms, likely evolved as a defense mechanism against insects that feed on fungi. Experiments with fruit fly larvae showed reduced survival and impaired development when exposed to the substance. This discovery sheds light on the evolutionary purpose of psychedelics in nature.
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An international team of scientists has determined that fungi originated between 900 million and 1.4 billion years ago, predating plants and animals by hundreds of millions of years. This discovery, based on advanced molecular dating and gene transfer analysis, suggests fungi were key pioneers in Earth's early terrestrial ecosystems. The findings were published in Nature Ecology & Evolution.