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NEWS ABOUT: fungus

Bats May Go Way of Passenger Pigeon

New numbers on fungus show up to 7M dead in 5 years

(Newser) - The Fish and Wildlife Service has new numbers out on the white-nose fungus wiping out bats in the US and Canada, and they put the creature's very survival at risk. Up to 6.7 million have been killed since the fungus first emerged in 2006, reports the Washington Post... More »

Amid Mass Die-Offs, Pockets of Brown Bats Survive

Bats appear to be resistant to devastating white nose syndrome

(Newser) - White nose syndrome has killed millions of bats over the past five years, decimating the little brown bat population by more than 90% in some areas, but scientists have found reason to hope: In Vermont and Pennsylvania, there are surviving colonies of the threatened species. “I’m cautiously... More »

Scientists Identify Fungus That Has Killed 1M Bats

Geomyces destructans has wipe out over 90% of some bat species

(Newser) - Five years after a bat-killing plague was discovered in the eastern United States, and three years after a fungus was linked to that plague , scientists have finally identified the pathogen and confirmed it is indeed responsible for the deaths, reports Reuters . The deadly white fungus Geomyces destructans is responsible for... More »

Our Appetite for Frog Legs May Be Wiping Out Frogs

Deadly chytrid fungus killing native amphibian species

(Newser) - Things you may not know: America, like Europe, has a pretty massive appetite for frog legs ... and that hunger may very well be causing frog extinctions around the globe. Scientific American reports on a new study released this week that weighs the demand: 2,280 metric tons of frog legs,... More »

Lethal Fungus Compounds Joplin Misery

Three fatalities linked so far to contaminated soil that got under skin

(Newser) - As if recovering from the devastation of last month's tornado weren't enough, Joplin is facing a new threat: A fungal infection that has been linked in the deaths of at least three people. Murcomycosis is linked to fungal spores that live in the soil, usually inhaled; in Joplin'... More »

'Zombie Ants' Found in Brazil

Fungus takes over brain, forces ants to relocate

(Newser) - First, the fungus takes over the ant’s brain. Then, it uses “mind control” to force the ant to move to a new location—an ideal location where the fungus can grow and its spores can spread. Finally, the fungus kills the ant—and then grows out of its... More »

Fungus Cures Mosquitoes of Malaria

May prove durable weapon against the spread of the disease

(Newser) - Scientists are trying a new approach to stop the spread of malaria: Rather than attempt to kill the mosquitoes outright, they're using a genetically-altered fungus to kill the parasite in the mosquitoes who spread it, NPR reports. "The trick we did was to engineer the fungus so that it... More »

Black Truffles May Be Going Way of the Dinosaur

French delicacy is rare and getting rarer, now $30 an ounce

(Newser) - Truffles have always been rare and expensive, prized in French cuisine for their earthy yet delicate flavor, whose richness, it is said, cannot be matched by another food. Yet destruction of the forests where the truffles grow (on oak roots), a scarcity of expert hunters, and a general decline in... More »

Honeybee Killer Finally Found

Colonies collapsing due to fungus-virus combination

(Newser) - For years, experts have been trying to figure out what is killing all the honeybees—and they may finally have an answer. Since 2006, 20% to 40% of US bee colonies have collapsed, and suspected causes have included genetically modified corn , pesticides , and bad weather . New research, however, points to... More »

Killer Lung Fungus Hits Northwest

Spores lodge in tissue; kill 25% of those infected

(Newser) - A virulent, deadly strain of a fungus that settles in human lungs has been discovered in the US Northwest. Cryptococcus gatti—or C. gatti—first spread from Canada into the US 5 years ago, but has recently developed into a particularly powerful strain in Oregon and is expected to move... More »

Aussies Find 'Extinct' Bell Frog

Amphibian was thought to be wiped out in 1970s by fungus

(Newser) - The yellow-spotted bell frog was thought to be wiped out in the 1970s when a deadly fungus invaded its native Australian habitat—until now. That’s right—the “extinct” species has been discovered in the Southern Tablelands of New South Wales, alive and well. “It was quite amazing,... More »

Fungus Poised to Kill Off World's Wheat

US scientists race to find plants resistant to the Ug99 fungus

(Newser) - A rust-colored fungus could destroy 80% of the world's wheat crops in a few years unless scientists counter it with genetically resistant strains, the Los Angeles Times reports. The Ug99 fungus—an ancient wheat-killer that rose up again in Africa 10 years ago—is already threatening 19% of the world's... More »

Wild Shrooms Kill Calif. Man

82-year-old had a passion for mushroom foraging

(Newser) - A California man’s passion for collecting and eating wild mushrooms has cost him his life, the LA Times reports. The 82-year-old ate a generous portion of a deadly variety and died of poisoning a week later. His family had long warned him of the risks, but the man had... More »

Deadly Bat Plague Spreads

Fewer bats could impact harvests

(Newser) - A mysterious disorder decimating the bat population in upstate New York has spread through the northeast and could be headed across the nation. The disease, called white nose syndrome after the white smudges found on infected bats, has spread to six states in two years, killing hundreds of thousands of... More »

Bat Deaths Perplex Scientists

Syndrome could devastate population

(Newser) - Experts are still in the dark about what’s causing the deaths of vast numbers of bats in the Northeast, but some theories have emerged, Salon reports. Some scientists believe white-nose syndrome is driven by global warming, while others are looking hard at pesticides. In either case, humans may have... More »

Mold Threatens Cave Paintings

Cave will be sealed for up to four months for treatment

(Newser) - They've existed for thousands of years but it's the lowly fungus that could finally be the death of France's most famous prehistoric cave paintings. Invading gray and black mold is threatening the animal images in the Lascaux cave in southwestern France, and scientists are uncertain what has caused it. The... More »

Scientists Make It Easier Being Green

In breakthrough, antibiotic stops fungus that's killing amphibians

(Newser) - Scientists have stumbled on a cure for the deadly fungus that is decimating the world's amphibian population. New Zealand researchers say an antibiotic used as an eye ointment for humans kills the fungus, which is blamed for the extinction of 40 species since 1980. Researchers dunked frogs in a solution... More »

Fungus Could Be Culprit in Death of Bees

First clue to the malady that's wiped out a quarter of US colonies

(Newser) - Finally, a lead in the mysterious honeybee crisis that's had scientists and keepers buzzing for months. A fungus called nosema ceranae is showing up frequently in colonies that have suffered heavy losses, giving scientists hope of controlling what they call "colony collapse disorder," the Los Angeles Times reports.... More »

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