Scientists unearth new mushroom, name it after “Spongebob Squarepants”

While technology might be our beat, you can have tech without science, and this is one of the more interesting stories we’ve seen all year.

A little bit north of Australia on the island of Borneo, researchers have found a new type of mushroom that they say is unique. According to Science Daily, this mushroom is bright orange and smells “vaguely fruity or strongly musty”.

And then there’s the name, which the researchers have bestowed upon the new species of fungus because of how it looks: Spongiforma squarepantsii.

Yes, this new mushroom has been named after the Nickelodeon cartoon “Spongebob Squarepants” because, under an electron microscope, the fungus reminded the researchers of sponges sitting on the floor of the ocean.

Don’t expect to see this new type of mushroom at your local grocery store, however. Despite being related to the porcini mushroom, this is one species that will be studied for a while, instead of gracing the insides of soups, pies, and pizzas.