Texas' warm, humid and often not too pleasant climate is a huge reason mold outbreaks occur so often. So why not a closer look at mold yourself? If you want to make it really interesting - and a little competitive - have a contest to see who can grow the MOST mold!
Start out by grabbing a sandwich bag, a piece of bread, a paper towel and a little bit of soil. You're soil can be obtained from outside or a potted plant. After you have everything you need, dampen the paper towel and put it in the bag along with the piece of bread and a pinch of soil. Keep some air in the bag and then seal it, labeling the outside with the date. Store your bag in a a warm, dark place for three or four days and then pull it out to see what you've created. If nothing has happened, put the bag back in a warm, dark place for three more days. Before you know it, you'll have a mold garden on your hands!
To check the mold out, look it at with a magnifying glass. Whatever you do, do NOT open the bags. When you are finished with your experiment, throw the UNOPENED bags away. Breathing in too much mold can make you sick.
For more information on mold and what's happening when mold forms, visit Bill Nye's website.
