History Main / EverythingMakesAMushroom

* Particularly violent volcanic eruptions have been known to create mushroom-shaped ash clouds. The one surviving first-hand account of the [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eruption_of_Mount_Vesuvius_in_79_AD#Pliny_the_Younger AD 79 Vesuvius eruption]] describes the cloud it formed as being shaped like a pine tree -- ''[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stone_pine Pinus pinea]]'', a species of pine common to the region, is notable for having a long, thin trunk which branches and spreads as it grows to form a very broad canopy, similar to a mushroom's cap.

It's worth noting that this is somewhat TruthInTelevision -- the mushroom cloud effect is not actually exclusive to nuclear weapons, it's just that nuclear weapons are far beyond the heat and explosive force required to cause the effect, whereas very few non-nuclear explosions are powerful enough to result in mushroom clouds. Therefore, the two [[TheCoconutEffect became heavily associated with each other]]. Website/TheOtherWiki has [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mushroom_cloud a nice article]] about how they form, but very basically, the intense heat of a large-enough explosion causes a massive updraft of air, which draws in dust and debris from the ground (the "stem"), and as it rises, the lower, hotter areas push the higher, cooler areas to the side in a swirling movement that forms the "cap".

The shape of a mushroom cloud is indelibly associated in everyone's minds with nuclear explosions. This trope is for explosions where that isn't the case -- instead, the mushroom cloud is PlayedForLaughs, or just to show how powerful the explosive is.

* ''WesternAnimation/TheMansionsOfTheGods'': When Obelix jumps in the BigBallOfViolence caused by his fellow Gauls' daily brawl, the dust cloud becomes a mushroom.

* Particularly violent volcanic eruptions have been known to create mushroom-shaped ash clouds. The one surviving first-hand account of the [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eruption_of_Mount_Vesuvius_in_79_AD#Pliny_the_Younger AD 79 Vesuvius eruption]] describes the cloud it formed as being shaped like a pine tree -- ''[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stone_pine Pinus pinea]], the species native to the region, is notable for having a long, thin trunk which branches and spreads as it grows to form a very broad canopy, similar to a mushroom's cap.

* Particularly violent volcanic eruptions have been known to create mushroom-shaped ash clouds.

* ''WebAnimation/DeathBattle'': Mario vs. Sonic 2019 ([[MilestoneCelebration the 100th episode]]) ends when [[spoiler:Mario pitches Sonic into the ocean]], with a detonation of this sort as [[spoiler:Mario]] lands. Because the fight takes place in the Mushroom Kingdom, [[FunnyBackgroundEvent the mushroom cloud has eyes]].

-->To the girl’s horror, the screen flickered a couple of times and turned a solid color. “Moooom! What does it mean when the screen turns blue and has just a big frowny face and a bunch of numbers?” She frenetically pounded keys and clicked the mouse. “And… and -- aaugh! Now the screen’s gone black and there’s a mushroom cloud of smoke coming up outta the computer! Moooom!”

** In "[[Recap/TheSimpsonsS4E18SoItsComeToThisASimpsonsClipShow So Its Come To This: A Simpsons Clip Show]], Homer is sent to the hospital due to Bart's April Fools prank. He took [[SodaCanShakeup a can of Duff beer and stuck it in a paint mixer at the hardware store]], then tricks Homer into opening it. The resulting mushroom cloud of beer ends up blowing the roof off the house, and can be seen by Chief Wiggum from a few blocks away. He initially pays no mind to it until Lou points out that it's beer.