-
io9MoviesThe Super Mario Bros. Movie Was a Damp, Fungal Love Letter to New York City
One of the interesting things about living in New York City during the coronavirus pandemic has been discovering ways to experience the area vicariously through different forms of media (because it’s dangerous to be out and about beyond necessary errands). While the 1993 Super Mario Bros. movie might not be the first thing that comes … Continued
-
ScienceHuman HistoryReal-Life ‘Zombie’ Animals Walk the Earth Thanks to Thousands of Parasites
Consider the ladybug. Our polka-dotted little friend spends its days munching aphids, climbing leaves, occasionally alighting upon a delighted child’s outstretched finger, and generally beetling around being adorable. It’s one of nature’s most inoffensive critters, which is perhaps why the Dinocampus coccinellae wasp is such a troubling one by comparison. See, in order to lay … Continued
By Kim Kelly -
Tech News
Warning: This Is Why You Don’t Pop Zits With a Woodworking Blade
There are two very important lessons to take away from a recent article in The Journal of Emergency Medicine: 1) Don’t pop zits using a woodworking blade, and 2) Don’t wait seven months to seek medical help if your lower lip starts to resemble a puddle of moldy raspberries. Unfortunately, a 23-year-old construction worker in … Continued
-
Earther
Scientists Propose Ban on All Amphibian Imports to Protect Species From Deadly Fungus
America has the highest salamander biodiversity of any country in the world. But that incredible natural heritage is threatened by a killer fungus that has already decimated salamander populations in Europe. Now, a dozen scientists who study amphibians and conservation are calling for a total ban on amphibian imports into the United States in an … Continued
Geoffrey Giller -
ScienceBiology
The Fungus That Turns Ants Into Zombies Is More Diabolical Than We Realized
Carpenter ants of the Brazilian rain forest have it rough. When one of these insects gets infected by a certain fungus, it turns into a so-called “zombie ant” and is no longer in control of its actions. Manipulated by the parasite, an infected ant will leave the cozy confines of its arboreal home and head … Continued
-
Tech News
Scientists Finally Unlock the Recipe For Magic Mushrooms
Based on prior reporting from field work and various sources, this reporter can confidently conclude that magic mushrooms are very chill. There’s more than college weekends to back that stance up, though. Past research has suggested they can help with the existential anxiety of cancer, positively change personalities, and even help kick nicotine addictions. You … Continued
-
ScienceHealth
A ‘Superbug’ Fungus Is Spreading Across the US
Over the past nine months, the number of US cases of an emerging, multi-drug resistant fungus has ballooned from 7 to more than 122. What’s more, the fungus, Candida auris, seems to be spreading, according to a field report the Centers for Disease Control released Thursday. So-called ‘superbugs’ usually reference bacteria that are especially hard … Continued
-
Tech NewsSploid
Watching Glow-in-the-Dark Fungi Grow Is Damn Amazing
That’s it. I’m leaving the country. Since Planet Earth II isn’t available stateside yet, I can’t in my right mind live here knowing that there are other people in this world enjoying the soul lifting freedom that comes with seeing all this beyond gorgeous footage of our world and every creature in it. Just watch … Continued
By Casey Chan -
Tech News
A Dreaded Superbug Has Officially Arrived in the United States
The US Centers for Disease Control has released a report in which it identifies over a dozen cases of a deadly, antibiotic-resistant fungus called Candida auris. It’s the first time this super-strain has been found in the US, and disturbingly, four of the first seven patients infected with it have died. Scientists have known about … Continued
-
Tech NewsSploidPuffball Fungi Exploding In the Rain Is Oddly Soothing
Between climate change, elections and the persistent threat of another Alvin and the Chipmunks movie, modern life can be full of stress. Throughout it all, however, gentle natural processes soldier obliviously on, including the lifecycle of the humble puffball. Once mature, the spherical fungi will puff at the slightest impact, emitting a cloud of dust-like spores. … Continued
By Hudson Hongo -
Tech News
Something Is Killing Off Australia’s Chillies
Chili peppers in Australia have been turning black and rotting on the vine, seemingly without explanation. Now researchers have finally identified just what’s been killing these poor chillies. Initially the ailment looked a lot like a disease called anthracnose, which manifests itself as a series of black, sunken spots that frequently result in death. But … Continued
By Ria Misra -
Tech NewsWe’ve Been Wrong About Lichen For 150 Years
Hundreds of millions of years ago, a tiny green microbe joined forces with a fungus, and together they conquered the world. It’s a tale of two cross-kingdom organisms, one providing food and the one other shelter, and it’s been our touchstone example of symbiosis for 150 years. Trouble is, that story is nowhere near complete. … Continued
By Maddie Stone -
Tech News
Cold Plasma Could Be Used to Freeze Out Toenail Fungus
Admit it, you’ve tried everything to get rid of your crusty yellow toenail fungus: prescription anti-fungal pills, medicated creams and nail polish, laser therapy — the usual remedies. But that darn fungus keeps coming back. Cold plasma could be your salvation. We’re not talking about biological plasma, that stuff in your blood that holds all … Continued
-
Tech News
The Way That Mushrooms Bring the Rain Will Astound You
If you’re still lukewarm on the idea of parachuting in a bunch of beavers to California to end the drought, here’s another option: mushrooms. In forests across the world, Earth’s decomposers are helping seed clouds and promote rainstorms. That’s the conclusion of a study published this week in PLOS ONE, which adds a fascinating layer … Continued
By Maddie Stone
