Free face hug? Earthstar mushrooms (Geastrum triplex) are unique fungi that can be found in woody areas along Cape Cod. The fruiting "bodies" of earthstars are hygroscopic, which means that they absorb moisture from the air. In dry weather the petals will curl up around the body of the mushroom to protect it. In wet weather, the petals moisten and uncurl, even curling backwards and lifting the body of the mushroom in the air. Earthstars reproduce by pushing spores out from a pore at the top of the sac to be distributed by the wind. Here's a time-lapse video taken of an earthstar mushroom @capecodnps with water being dripped over it to make the petals unfurl. NPS Video/Alyssa Harris #nature #mushroom #earthstarmushroom #weird #strangethings