Mold spores, 90-degree classrooms and aging pipes: An environmental health expert explains why Pennsylvania’s old schools are harder on kids than adults.
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Molds and bacteria can produce dangerous toxins − and they don’t taste very good, either.
Even homes build to code can have built-in health risks, such as being prone to mould. By targeting the places where heat is lost, you can make winter more bearable.
We still hear black mould in our homes described as toxic. But it’s the allergies and asthma they trigger we should be more worried about.
Mold growth happens in damp indoor areas and is difficult to prevent. It can be an annoyance but usually isn’t harmful to your health.
Fungal infections can be among the hardest to treat, and since the pandemic began they’ve become only more common. To prevent future antifungal resistance, scientists have developed tiny molecular drills.
Raw flour at the store still contains live microorganisms. And while cooking can kill the fungi, it doesn’t destroy any illness-causing mycotoxins that might be present.
Don’t let microbes and insects turn your Halloween masterpiece into a horror show before the big night.
Dehumidifiers can help if you’re clever with that you’re trying to achieve, but you should always look to solve the underlying cause. That means, where possible, improving exhaust and ventilation.
In a damp or water-damaged environment, toxic mould species grow and release spores that can cause health problems if inhaled.
Pollution from more frequent floods and wildfires – exacerbated by the warming climate – is threatening human health and poses particular risks to the brain.
Researchers have discovered the first known example of a hybrid fungus that infects humans.
Mention fungi and most people think of eating mushrooms or yeasts in bread or beer. But fungi are now on the CDC’s list of public health threats as the number of deadly infections they cause rise.
Epidemiologists study disease outbreaks in populations to determine who gets sick and why. In the wake of this year’s hurricanes, they are assessing impacts from mold, toxic leaks and other threats.
Even when power is restored and floodwaters have receded after hurricanes, mold can still be a big problem. There are some things you can do on your own, but the damage can be extensive.
Top contributors
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County Extension Director and Family and Consumer Sciences Agent IV, University of Florida
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Professor of Epidemiology and Core Faculty of Disaster Research Center, University of Delaware
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Graduate Student in Chemistry, Rice University
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Professor of Chemistry, Rice University
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Associate Professor of Medicine and Director of Mycology, University of Pittsburgh
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Post-doctoral scholar; Scientific Consultant, University of California, Berkeley
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Cornelius Vanderbilt Chair in Biological Sciences, Professor of Biological Sciences and Biomedical Informatics, and Director of the Vanderbilt Evolutionary Studies Initiative, Vanderbilt University
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Professor of Social Epidemiology and Director of the Centre of Research Excellence in Healthy Housing at the Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne
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Adjunct academic, mycology, Flinders University
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Professor of Food Science and Technology, The Ohio State University
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Associate Professor of Mycology and Plant Pathology, West Virginia University
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ARC DECRA and Senior Research Fellow, NHMRC Centre of Research Excellence in Healthy Housing, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne
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Emeritus Professor of Medicine, Drexel University
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Postdoctoral Fellow in Microbiology, Rice University
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Professor of Biology, Miami University