Look at the underside of a log, and you’ll find my new obsession: the beautiful, bonkers world of slime moulds | Lucy Jones
These tiny organisms matter. They have been used to map dark matter and improve transport networks, and they’re living all around us
A few years ago, I started looking at the underside of logs and it changed my life. I found a secret carnival of the most bodacious and interesting organisms I had ever seen. Bubbles of candy-pink gloss on stilts (Comatricha nigra), bunches of rainbow iridescence on toffee strings (Badhamia utricularis), bouffants of raspberry parfait (Arcyria denudata) – and those are just a few that have appeared on bits of wood in our urban garden.
Slime moulds, or myxomycetes, spend part of their life cycle as what are known as fruiting bodies – which look a bit like tiny mushrooms, hence why they were once classified as fungi (they’re actually in the kingdom Protista). Often you will find them, at this stage, in a colony – or, well, I’d suggest galaxy, sweetshop or funfair would be more accurate for a collective noun.
Lucy Jones is the author of Matrescence, Losing Eden and The Nature Seed
Continue reading...
Read more at The Guardian
-
Jeffries: 'Confused' by Trump's 'obsession' with Greenland
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) hammered President-elect Trump on Wednesday for what he characterized as an “obsession” with the idea of the U.S. taking over Greenland, accusing ...The Hill - 10h -
What could Trump’s ‘big, beautiful bill’ look like?
President-elect Trump said that Republicans are working to craft a “powerful” piece of legislation to advance his agenda. Republicans had already begun preparing to use a special procedure known as ...The Hill - 18h -
Ulta Beauty names new CEO, raises outlook for holiday quarter
The beauty retailer Ulta said the leadership changes take effect immediately.CNBC - 1d -
Questions to ask yourself ... to find a new hobby
Social prescribing expert and professor of psychobiology Daisy Fancourt on how hobbies enrich lives. Think about how many minutes you have spent versus what you wish you’d spent. Continue ...The Guardian - 1d -
To see how Trump will control the US media, look at Viktor Orbán’s Hungary | Owen Jones
Nick Clegg’s departure is likely to see Meta following X’s tilt towards the right. It leaves the way open for an insidious hollowing out of democracy. Will democracy survive a second Trump ...The Guardian - 1d -
‘You’re gonna find this creepy’: my AI-cloned voice was used by the far right. Could I stop it? | Georgina Findlay
It was chilling to hear ‘my voice’ repeating lies – and to discover that deepfake audio is a growing threat to democracy. Georgina Findlay is a writer and presenter at the YouTube channel TLDR ...The Guardian - 1d -
Forgan and Kirkby win another medal for USA Luge, and Lolo Jones set to return to World Cup bobsled
Chevonne Forgan and Sophie Kirkby of the U.S. got their third World Cup women’s doubles luge medal of the season Saturday, continuing their climb in the rankingsABC News - 4d -
Penguins Legend Looking For A New Smile
During a recent game in Czechia, Pittsburgh Penguins legend Jaromir Jagr took an errant high stick to the face, losing his front teeth.Yahoo Sports - Jan. 1 -
As a child, I couldn’t wait to change my Iranian nose. Now I’ve learned to see its beauty | Bea Dero
I photograph people with non-western features, and pay homage to our profiles and the history in our faces. “So when are you getting your nose job?” was a question 11-year-old me would often hear ...The Guardian - Jan. 1
More from The Guardian
-
California fires live: sixth wildfire breaks out in Los Angeles as five people killed
Sixth fire breaks out, this time in Hollywood Hills, as fire crews battle to contain destructive blazes. Full report: overwhelmed firefighters struggle to contain blazes Visual explainer: why ...The Guardian - 17m -
Meta’s factchecking partners brace for layoffs
Meta has provided over $100m for certified organizations to conduct factchecks on its platforms since 2016. Mark Zuckerberg’s decision to end factchecking on Facebook and Instagram in the US ...The Guardian - 6h -
‘América Mexicana’: Mexico’s president responds to Trump with renaming of her own
Claudia Sheinbaum joked about renaming the entire continent in retort to Trump’s ‘Gulf of America’ comments. Claudia Sheinbaum, Mexico’s president, has responded to Donald Trump’s proposal to ...The Guardian - 9h -
North Korea learning from fighting with Russia against Ukraine, US warns
Diplomatic and military ties with Moscow making Pyongyang ‘more capable of waging war’, official says. North Korea is benefiting from its troops fighting alongside Russia against Ukraine, gaining ...The Guardian - 6h -
Japanese yakuza leader pleads guilty to trafficking nuclear materials from Myanmar
US authorities charged Takeshi Ebisawa with conspiring to traffic nuclear materials from Myanmar for expected use by Iran in nuclear weapons. A member of the Japanese criminal underworld has ...The Guardian - 3h
More in World
-
California fires live: sixth wildfire breaks out in Los Angeles as five people killed
Sixth fire breaks out, this time in Hollywood Hills, as fire crews battle to contain destructive blazes. Full report: overwhelmed firefighters struggle to contain blazes Visual explainer: why ...The Guardian - 17m -
‘We’re done’: owner of Walter White’s house in Breaking Bad puts it on market – for $4m
Modest family home in Albuquerque has a price tag fit for a meth kingpin – but owner Joanne Quintana warns buyers to prepare for hundreds of visitors a day. The modest suburban home used as Walter ...The Guardian - 45m -
‘A day not soon forgotten:’ The Palisades take stock after blazes rage
Firefighters said the destruction from the California fires was unlike any they had seen in their decades-long careers. . . The sun glared red as it sank into the Pacific Ocean on Wednesday, ...The Guardian - 49m -
Israel's Defense Industry Booms on Foreign Demand and War at Home
Despite arms embargoes over its handling of the war in Gaza, Israel’s top three defense companies are on pace to sell more weapons than ever.The Wall Street Journal - 1h -
What does Mark Zuckerberg know about free speech? | Fiona Katauskas
Everything in moderation, except moderation Continue reading...The Guardian - 2h