#fungal-prevention

#fungal-prevention

"This is a surefire way to spread germs in such a small space. Closing the lid also mutes the loud flush and leaves the lavatory looking tidier for the next passenger."

Crushed clean, dry eggshells, when scattered over the soil, are intended to stop adult gnats from laying eggs and potentially add natural fertilizer. However, they merely sit on the surface, collecting dust, while the gnats remain attracted to the damp compost.

Mold is a perennial scourge in museums that can disfigure and destroy art and artifacts. To keep this microbial foe in check, institutions follow protocols designed to deter the familiar fungi that thrive in humid settings. But it seems a new front has opened in this long-standing battle. I'd recently heard rumblings that curators in my then home base of Denmark have been wrestling with perplexing infestations that seem to defy the normal rules of engagement.

The state health department reports that, between late November 2025 and early February 2026, there have been four deaths and 40 hospitalizations linked to consumption of dangerous mushrooms, an outbreak the department describes as unprecedented. That's far above the average for the state, which typically sees fewer than five mushroom-poisoning cases annually. The people who have been sickened include a seasonal farm worker couple from Oaxaca, Mexico.