As we all recover from the shock of Sunday night's Game of Thrones episode (don't worry, no spoilers here!), we thought it best to bring a bit of cheer to the hearts of GoT fans everywhere. It is with immense pleasure that we bring you "Game of Moulds":
While the Game of Thrones title credits are, unsurprisingly, among the most riffed-on videos on the internet, it's also important to note that this stunning source footage comes our way from photographer Nick Lariontsev. His original mould timelapse (video below) has racked up nearly half a million views since it was posted in 2011, and just like many viral videos before it, this one eventually found its way to Reddit. Which is where one question sparked all the magic:
Slow clap, ButteredToads. It didn't take long for your idea to come to fruition.
Lariontsev's original video shows a combination of Botrytis (that's the Greyjoy, er, grey mould that likes to flourish in our homes), Aspergillus fumigatus, Mucor, Trichoderma and Cladosporium moulds. Each fungus was grown over a period of two to eight days, and captured in timelapse using a system of Nikon D70 cameras.
Look carefully and you'll also catch a glimpse of the odd mould mite in the video. These tiny critters might look gross, but chances are you encounter them every day. The mites feed on (you guessed it!) moulds that grow in areas of excess moisture – places like your kitchen and bathroom.
The mites are harmless to humans, and they don't bite or cause structural damage, but in some cases, their long "hairs" (called setae) can cause an allergic reaction. In fact, dust mites, which are notorious sources of allergen, are closely related to these fungi feasters.
Watch Lariontsev's original timelapse here:
__
Top header image: Norbert Hülsmann, Flickr
Natural World
Film and Photo
Natural World
