When most people think of mold, a word like “beautiful” is not what comes to mind. But my hope is that after reading this blog and seeing the images I captured with my Foldscope 2.0, maybe, just maybe, you will appreciate the microscopic wonder of mold.
Figure 1. Mold sample viewed under a Foldscope 2.0 at 140X magnification plus 5X digital zoom on phone
(Photo Credit: Holly A. Stuart)
Looking For Mold
My husband recently brought home a few mold testing kits. These are petri dishes that have been pre filled with agar. You place one outside (as the control) and the rest of them around your home to determine if, and where, you have a mold problem. The one we placed in his truck was the only petri dish that showed signs of fungal life and looked very similar to the outdoor petri dish.
Figure 2. Petri dishes comparing mold found outdoors with mold growing in the truck
(Photo Credit: Holly A. Stuart)
We discovered that his truck had developed a leak and rain was getting into the back seat giving mold a wonderful place to grow. Luckily we caught it pretty early, fixed the leak, and got everything cleaned up. But more importantly, I had some new samples to look at under my Foldscope!
Mold Colonies
Mold spores are all around us floating invisibly in the air. When they land on a surface that contains moisture, they begin to grow by branding out with tiny threads called hyphae which produce more spores. This cycle continues until eventually a colony of mold can be seen. These colonies can be a variety of colors, shapes, sizes, and textures.
Figure 3. Montage of the different mold colonies growing on the petri dishes
(Photo Credit: Holly A. Stuart)
Mold Structures
Mold is composed of two basic structures: spores and hyphae. The spore can be thought of as similar to a seed in plants. Spores only begin the reproductive cycle if they land in a suitable environment. Spores come in a variety of shapes and textures.
Figure 4. Montage of mold spores viewed under a Foldscope 2.0 at 340X magnification plus 5X digital zoom on phone
(Photo Credit: Holly A. Stuart)
The hyphae are threadlike structures that branch out from a spore that has begun to germinate. They also have unique branching patterns that are species dependent.
Figure 5. Montage of mold hyphae viewed under a Foldscope 2.0 at 340X magnification plus 5X digital zoom on phone
(Photo Credit: Holly A. Stuart)
I am glad that I took the opportunity to observe these molds. Typically seen as disgusting or gross, molds do play an important role as decomposers in the natural world. Without them, there would be no recycling of organic matter back into our soil providing nutrients plants need to grow and thrive. And with this microscopic study, I was able to capture a beauty that is often overlooked on the macroscopic scale.
Figure 6. Picture of a mold hyphae and spores (left, viewed under a Foldscope 2.0 at 140X magnification), mold colony (center), and mold surface (right, viewed under a Foldscope 2.0 at 140X magnification plus 5X digital zoom on phone)
(Photo Credit: Holly A. Stuart)
Have you looked at mold under a Foldscope 2.0? Use your Foldscope to dive into the microscopic world and find the beauty that is there waiting for you. Share your microscopic images and thoughts on the Microcosmos. Be sure to tag us on social media when you post the results of your explorations, creations, and discoveries! We love to see how Foldscopers around the world are using their Foldscopes in new and innovative ways!
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