006 How It Works http://www.howitworksdaily.com
© Juliet Evans
These dewy hair-like strands might look like
they belong among grass blades on a crisp
morning. However, they live a little closer to
home. Found in the forgotten punnet of
raspberries at the back of the fridge, Rhizopus
stolonifer, also known as ‘black bread mould’, forms a
woolly coat around expired fruit and vegetables. The
hair-like structures, called sporangiophore, reach out
holding tiny black and white spores so the fungus
can spread. This furry photo was captured by
Juliet Evans for The Royal Photographic
Society’s 2019 science photography
competition. You can find out more
about this year’s entries
at rps.org.FRIDGE
INVADER