Frequently, foxfire appears as though the bark of a fallen log or an old tree branch is emitting a luminous glow during the night. The source of this light is not the wood itself, but rather the organisms that are consuming it. (Photo: Ylem/Wikimedia Commons) In the event that one should find themselves traversing through a moist and obscure forest at night without any illumination, they may have the opportunity to witness a remarkable phenomenon. With some luck, one may observe a green or blue radiance emanating from the undergrowth surrounding decaying logs.
For centuries this was called fairy fire or will-o-the-wisp and was attributed to something mystical. Aristotle thought it was a cold fire burning on the logs, and in 1555, Swedish priest and scholar Olaus Magnus wrote of luminous mushrooms on rotting wood. Knowing that the glow appears on rotting wood is one thing, but knowing how and why is another. It wasn't until 1823 that the real source came to light and it's perhaps even more strange than the supernatural explanations.
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