Free Republic

If you consider thousands of dollars for a tiny patch of decades-old mold a tad too pricey, well, maybe you're just not cut out for the high-stakes world of mold auctions. Because not even that hefty bit of green wouldn't have brought home the other bit of green that just sold Wednesday at a London auction house. The mold in question — which actually outpaced early expectations to be sold for a whopping $14,617, according to The Associated Press — is a capsule of the original Penicillium chrysogenum Alexander Fleming was working with when he discovered the antibiotic penicillin. Encased...

Christmas trees could be to blame for a range of health complaints over the festive season, according to new research. Don't be too quick to judge those who feel under the weather over the festive period – rather than seasonal overindulgence, it could be their Christmas tree making them ill. The traditional centrepiece decoration has been blamed for triggering a range of health complaints, from wheezing and coughing to lethargy and insomnia. The condition – "Christmas Tree Syndrome" – is caused by mould growing on the trees, whose spores lead to problems when breathed in. It has been discovered by...

Mould no threat to people of New Orleans 01 September 2006 From New Scientist Print Edition. The buildings of New Orleans were left covered with mould after the floods caused by hurricane Katrina, but it seems the spores pose little threat to the city's remaining inhabitants. High levels of airborne fungal spores were reported in the flood zone soon after the hurricane. One species of particular concern to health officials was Stachybotrys, which is blamed for a wide range of health problems, particularly in people with asthma. But last week the International Congress on Aerobiology in Neuchâtel, Switzerland, heard that...