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Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever

Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF) is caused by tiny bacteria called rickettsiae that live inside the cells of infected individuals. It has been reported throughout the United States, but is most prevalent in the South Atlantic and South-Central states. In 1999, 579 cases were reported to the CDC. ...

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RockyMountainSpottedFever
Astronomy

The Minor Planets

Asteroids are rocky fragments left over from the formation of the solar system about 4.6 billion years ago. Most of these fragments of ancient space rubble - sometimes referred to by scientists as ... Continue reading

MinorPlanets
Biology

Microarrays: Chipping Away At The Mysteries Of Science And Medicine

With only a few exceptions, every cell of the body contains a full set of chromosomes and identical genes. Only a fraction of these genes are turned on, however, and it is the subset that is ... Continue reading

Microarrays
Astronomy

The Antennae

NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory has discovered rich deposits of neon, magnesium, and silicon in a pair of colliding galaxies known as The Antennae. The deposits are located in vast clouds of hot gas. ... Continue reading

TheAntennae
Geology

How Much Water in an Inch of Snow?

If the snowfall amounts were translated into equivalent volumes of water - then how much water would that be? Using a rule of thumb that each 10 inches of snow, if melted, would produce one inch of ... Continue reading

HowMuchWaterinanInchofSnow

A Humongous Fungus Among Us

AHumongousFungusDid you ever wonder what the world's largest organism is? If we had to guess, maybe we'd pick an elephant, a giant sequoia or a whale. Well, those choices would be wrong; this organism is actually a fungus! It was decided in 1992 that Armillaria bulbosa, a soil fungus, was the world's largest organism. It was found in a northern Michigan hardwood forest. Scientists also calculate that it is most likely one of the world's oldest organisms as well, exceeding 1,500 years and weighing in at over 100 tons.

Armillaria bulbosa is actually a plant pathogen. The fungus' hyphae pierce the roots of aspen trees and absorb nutrients from them. Therefore, the majority of the fungus is underground and only tiny mushrooms can be seen in the fall. The mushroom caps from the offshoots are edible and it is sometimes called the 'honey mushroom'.

Fungi are extremely important in our world. They decay organic matter, such as a fallen tree in a forest. Without fungi, we would be left with ever existent fallen trees. We eat them and use them medically, such as for penicillin. What would mushroom lovers do without the tasty treats on their pizza? The next time you see a mushroom, think about Armillaria bulbosa and how much of the mushroom may be underground. It could be much larger, heavier and older than you ever imagined!