Thanks to mold, many scientific discoveries have been made, the significance of which is difficult to overestimate. It is valuable both in medicine and in the food industry, and even in ancient times, some peoples were aware of some of its beneficial properties, albeit very superficially. However, it all depends on the type and how to apply it – the harm from mold can be no less than good.
Interesting facts about mold
- Strictly speaking, mold is a special kind of mushroom.
- Infection of paper with mold in archives and storages is the main cause of damage to documents and a threat to their safety.
- Recent studies by Japanese scientists have proven that mold has the beginnings of intelligence (interesting facts about Japan).
- Mold appeared on Earth long before human ancestors, about 200 million years ago.
- Yellow mold is the most poisonous. By hitting food, it produces the strongest poison.
- Mold can cause increased fatigue, headaches, dermatological, pulmonary and even oncological diseases.
- Mold is practically not removed from the body.
- Some of its types can destroy plaster, brick and even concrete.
- There is a cave in the Caucasus where fluorescent mold was discovered. Moreover, the fluorescence is so strong that from a distance of a meter you can easily distinguish the facial features of a person standing next to you.
- After entering the tomb of Pharaoh Tutankhamun on November 24, 1922, most of the team of English archaeologists participating in the search for the mummy died from an unknown disease. And only in 1999, the German microbiologist Gotthard Kramer examined more than 40 mummified bodies and found that each of them was covered with a layer of very dangerous mold, the concentration of which led to the death of those who entered the tomb (interesting facts about Ancient Egypt).
- Exactly Penicillin was first extracted from the mold, which allowed scientists to invent antibiotics.
- Mold is not at all afraid of radiation. For example, under the sarcophagus of the 4th power unit of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant there is a huge amount of mold. In places of increased background radiation, it is most dense (interesting facts about radiation).
- Mold spores flew into space on the skin of a spaceship. Time has shown that it not only survived in a vacuum, but also acquired strong immunity.
- Some scientists call mold the main reason for the failure of the equipment of the Russian orbital station Mir.
- In addition to aggressive and dangerous mold exists and one that can be eaten. In France, it is used to make wines and is called “noble”.
- Marble and blue cheeses are made using specially grown blue mold (interesting facts about cheese).
- A special and very expensive delicacy – Sausage with mold, which is made in Italy. The sausage is aged in the basement for about a month, after which it is covered with light green mold and sent for special processing, and after three months it can be eaten.