What do moulds need to grow?

A food source, such as leaves, wood, paper or dirt

A source of moisture A place to grow (mostly in darker areas)

Interesting Facts About Mould Outdoors, mould exists nearly everywhere. There are over 10,000 species of mould. Mould helps break down, or decompose,

organic material. Every home has mould, somewhere. Not all mold is harmfully toxic but it can

certainly cause allergy problems. One common antibiotic is actually a purified

mould – penicillium notatum, or penicillin.

PenicillinPenicillin is a fungal-derived antibiotic

discovered by Alexander Fleming in 1928. It is useful in healing common infections. Before its discovery, common infections would have caused death.

While conducting an experiment with bacteria, a tear fell on Fleming's petri dish. After some time, he noticed that a substance in his tear, which he named lysozyme, killed the bacteria while not harming the body's white blood cells.

How has Mold Been Used Positively?

The antibiotic, Pennicillin, was derived from mould and has saved many lives from deadly diseases!

Mould has been used to age cheeses to the perfection of taste! (Some species of mould are harmless)

Mould has even been used to improve the texture of wine!