Here is a time-lapse of what really goes on behind your refrigerator's closed door. The pink stuff that (always) forms on low-fat sour cream was booked on another shoot the day this was filmed. [via]
Here is a time-lapse of what really goes on behind your refrigerator's closed door. The pink stuff that (always) forms on low-fat sour cream was booked on another shoot the day this was filmed. [via]
I love this. It's just so happily revolting!
I should add that one of the weird effects of working for a bacteriology lab for six years was that I became a lot more willing to eat questionable food. I figured that as long as I knew what was growing on it, I was more or less safe.
At first I was grossed out, then it started to become much more beautiful than disgusting. Then the bugs came.
Also, AHH-CHOO!
That fungus up there? THAT'S BOB.
@werewolfbarmitzvah Can't be! That mold has staying power.
Needs more David Attenborough.
Did a video of mold really just reaffirm my belief in the beauty of the universe?
@pterodactgirl Me too! I have often said that if I hadn't switched to nursing in order to become what I am (a midwife), I'd've stuck to biology and spent my career studying mushrooms and fungus. They are so cool.
I'm going through a big downer phase right now and this lifted me up more than anything else has lately.
Stop trying to make mold happen. It's never going to happen!
Except it happens everywhere. Yuck, I'm going to become a germaphobe as soon as I can be bothered.
@teaandcakeordeath that is EXACTLY how i feel about becoming a germaphobe.
Oh, good lord.
I knew I should have been suspicious when the film crew showed up at my door to film "cribs".
That pink stuff is a bacteria (probably Serratia marcescens, http://www.zandair.com/library/Pink-Bacteria/), not a fungus! It was excluded because of kingdomism.
Mmmmm bacteria.
@brooklebee Depends, though - there are a couple pink molds, too. But I say that as someone with a deep fondness both for bacteria and for Serratia marcescens in particular.
@Xanthophyllippa Are you a microbiologist? Or a microbe enthusiast? Either way, nice to meet you. I'm an evolutionary biologist but generally I only work with the big things.
@brooklebee Microbe enthusiast! My interest was predominantly historical (there's a pretty cool story behind S. marcescens, though it's to be taken a bit figuratively) until I was hired by a bacteriology lab to do some low-level office tasks. That developed into writing lit reviews for paper drafts and grant proposals, and even now I still have a particular fondness for microbes. But I'm still happy to meet evolutionists - what's your critter?
@Xanthophyllippa currently sunflowers (mainly this one: http://www.zombiejuice.com/weedsworth/plants/asteraceae/Helianthus_argophyllus.html)
Can you link me to the story of S. marcescens? I am very interested!
Was just this morning reflecting on the time in grad school when i made a model of a swimming facility out of an entire case of unflavored gelatin and left it outside for the whole semester after the presentation.
@remargaret I once forgot to open my mini fridge to let it air dry after unplugging it over Christmas break. It was HORRENDOUS.
(Side note to fridge story) I then gave the tainted fridge to my little sister.
<3 u sister-ie!
Clean Out Your Refrigerators, Seriously, They Are Revolting.
I would probably have enjoyed this if every fibre of my home wasn't currently infused with mold, including an amazing pair of vintage leather boots. Mold has excellent taste.
I'm not sorry for how beautiful I found that! Biology! AMAZING.
Okay guys, I get that in a certain way this stuff is cool and fascinating and makes you realize the complexity of life, but am I the only one who wanted to vomit while watching it?! I'm sorry that I'm not cool enough to be able to overlook my nausea and appreciate the fungus complete with New-Age Fungus Music. I envy you microbiologists! Really, I do.
@ohbladi It's ok. I'm so un-cool and grossed out I can't even watch it, and may skip dinner.
And the part of the mold that you see is the fruiting body (ok, mold is more animal than plant, so reproductive part). So, the mold is chowing away unseen, and then it's ready to move to greener pastures, and so it grows the part you see to send out spores. Think about that. Keep thinking about that...
I was really hoping that during that sad interlude with the dying mold at the end, there would be a giant hand sweeping through with a disinfecting wipe.
When I hang out with my best ladies it's a similarly colorful, vigorous fun gal bloom.
I feel like a lot of not-so-great things in my life could seem beautiful and majestic if it's put to this music. Zit-popping, toilet cleaning, kitty-litter scooping.....the possibilities are endless!
The pink stuff on low-fat sour cream! Yes. So familiar with that. Though usually I eat the sour cream before it has even the barest thought of molding. I'm a bit addicted.
EDITH! Why have you been working on vacation? Stop working! Go vacay!
@sox Clearly this was meant to go under that other video. Oops.
I'm sorry, all I hear is the music that's on that Tracy Anderson Method dvd I had a year ago. The one that I used all the time, and eventually just grew to hate because of her smug "I'm a dancer" face. Also the pouting lips all the time and the heels with workout gear on the cover. I hate all of it.
ok but real talk: when the pink stuff forms like, just a tiny bit, do we have to throw out all of the sour cream? i mean, there MAY HAVE BEEN TIMES when I convinced myself that it was a little salsa that was mixed in (salsa and sour cream are always together in my book) and ate the rest of it. I dunno! It gets pink-moldy so quickly!!