Have you noticed an unusual smell or flavor in your tap water over the past few days?

What's wrong with Raleigh tap water? Algae bloom at Falls Lake behind the smell, color

'Earthy and musty:' Here's why your tap water may taste strange this weekend in Raleigh

The "Dueling Dinosaurs" exhibit opening this weekend at Raleigh's North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences will feature what's believed to be the most complete T. rex skeleton ever discovered.

'Dueling Dinosaurs:' One-of-a-kind dig at Raleigh science museum opens this weekend

DinoLab at North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences

All assets associated with the tag: fungus

Fungus Coverage

Duke University is relocating its herbarium, which contains dried plants, algae, fungi, lichen and more.

YEAR WITH MORE THAN 640,000 PASSENGERS RIDING BETWEEN OUR STATE AND THE NORTHEAST. A COLLECTION OF DRIED PLANTS HOLDING UP TO 200 YEARS OF DATA AND INFORMATION. >> WILL SOON LEAVE DUKE UNIVERSITY DOESN'T REALLY SOUND LIKE A BIG DEAL. BUT THE HERBARIUM, IT'S A SIGNIFICANT TOOL FOR RESEARCH HAS BEEN AT THE UNIVERSITY FOR A CENTURY AS WRAL'S DESTINY. PATTERSON REPORTS NEWS OF THE CLOSURE IS CAUSING A BIT OF AN OUTCRY AND COULD HAVE IMPACTS ON LEARNING OF A PLANET WORKS. >> SO WHAT IS IN ARBERY? I'M THE DIRECTOR OF THE DUKE HERBARIUM DESCRIBES IT LIKE A LIBRARY OR MUSEUM. IT HOLDS DRIED PLANTS AND MORE THAT CAN BE USED TO RESEARCH OUR ENVIRONMENT. SHE SAYS THAT THAT RESEARCH IS NOW AT RISK, SAYS THE UNIVERSITY DECIDED TO CLOSE ITS STORES. HERE YOU CAN USE CLIMATE DATA TO BE ABLE TO TRACK WHAT THAT TEMPERATURE WITH THE HUMIDITY. WHAT THE PRECIPITATION WAS AT ANY LOCATION >> 100 AND 50 YEARS AGO IN PREDICT INTO THE FUTURE. THE HERBARIUM HAS MORE THAN 800,000 SPECIMENS OF VASCULAR PLANTS. MOSSES LICHENS ALGAE AND FUNGI. THERE IS. >> A GLOBAL EXTINCTION CRISIS GOING ON. WE NEED TO KNOW AS MUCH AS WE CAN ABOUT DIVERSITY. THE DEAN OF NATURAL SCIENCES SAYS MAINTAINING THE HERBARIUM, QUOTE, WOULD REQUIRE THE INVESTMENT OF SIGNIFICANT LONG-TERM RESOURCES TO SUPPORT BOTH SUBSTANTIAL FACILITIES, RENOVATIONS. AN EXPERT PERSONNEL AND AT THE EXPENSE OF MANY OTHER URGENT PRIORITIES. PRIOR SAYS-IT OWNER WAS WILLING AND INTERESTED IN STARTING A 3 MILLION DOLLAR ENDOWMENT FOR THE HERBARIUM. ALBERT SAYS THE COST OF CONTINUING TO HOST THE HERBARIUM QUOTE, FAR EXCEEDS ANY DONOR INTEREST TO GIVE AWAY A COLLECTION IS ALMOST ABSURD THAT THIS AT THIS POINT IN TIME, THE NATURAL SCIENCE COLLECTIONS ALLIANCE AGREES SAYING IT'S DEEPLY CONCERNED KNOWING THAT DUKE HAS THE LARGEST HERBARIUM IN THE SOUTHEASTERN U.S. AND FACT THE ALLIANCE SAYS ITS CLOSURE SET A TERRIBLE PRECEDENT. HERB AREA ARE ABSOLUTELY UNIQUE BECAUSE DUKE'S COLLECTION IS SO BIG FIRES AS THE SPECIMENS WILL LIKELY END UP IN VARIOUS SEPARATE PLACES. DESTINY. PATTERSON, WRAL, NEWS, DURHAM, AND THE UNIVERSITY SAYS IT

Calls for Duke University to reconsider herbarium closure

Researchers call on Duke University to reconsider its herbarium closure

The CDC has called Candida auris an "urgent threat" because it is often multidrug-resistant, easily spreads through health care facilities and can cause deadly disease. It is also resistant to some common disinfectants and can be carried on people's skin without causing symptoms, facilitating its spread to others.

OUTAGE LASTED ABOUT AN HOUR. NO WORD YET ON THE CAUSE. >> IT IS INVASIVE HARD TO DIAGNOSE OFTEN RESISTANT TO ANTIBIOTICS AND LIVES AND BREATHES IN HOSPITALS AND LONG-TERM CARE FACILITIES. IT'S A FUNGUS KNOWN AS C R US AND IT'S MAKING ITS WAY INTO NORTH CAROLINA. THE BUREAU'S CHELSEA DONOVAN REPORTS. >> TO NORTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES SENT OUT A MEMO TO LONG-TERM CARE FACILITIES AND HOSPITALS ALERTING THEM OF A RAPIDLY SPREADING FUNGUS. THAT IS OFTEN DRUG RESISTANT. THAT IS NOW MADE ITS WAY INTO OUR STATE. IT'S CALLED CANDIDA AURIS IN EMERGING FUNGUS THAT NEARLY DOUBLED IN 2021, ACCORDING TO THE CDC, IT SPREADING BOTH. >> AS FOR ALL THE CONTINENTS AND THE NUMBERS ARE INCREASING. ITS NOW BEEN DETECTED IN OUR STATE, 5 CASES FOUND SO FAR. >> THE CDC CALLS THE THREAT LEVEL URGENT. IT WAS FIRST FOUND IN 2009 IN ASIA AND 90% OF CASES ARE RESISTANT TO AT LEAST ONE ANTIFUNGAL DRUG PATIENTS WHO GET IT ON THIS KINDA CAN STAY ON THE SKIN FOR WEEKS OR MONTHS. DOCTOR DAVID WEBER WITH UNC MEDICAL CENTER SAYS HOSPITALS AND LONG-TERM CARE FACILITIES NEED TO BE VERY AWARE OF THIS INVASIVE FUNGUS. MOST PATIENTS ARE ELDERLY WITH WEAKENED IMMUNE SYSTEMS SO GETS TRANSMITTED FROM PERSON TO PERSON BY DIRECT CONTACT, TOUCHING OR INDIRECTLY, SAY ON THE HANDS OF A HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS. HE SAYS UNC HOSPITALS IS TAKING PREVENTATIVE STEPS BY DISINFECTING ROOMS, PROPER HAND WASHING AND OTHER PROCEDURES WAKE-MED TELLS ME THEY'RE USING UV LIGHTS TO PREVENT INFECTION AND TARGET HARD TO KILL PATHOGENS AS WELL AS OTHER MEASURES. ALL IMPERATIVE SAYS WEBER, IF IT GAINS ENTRANCE INTO THE BODY, SAY THE BLOOD HAS A HIGH MORTALITY OF ABOUT 50% OR MORE. >> THE CDC SAYS 4 STRAINS OF THE FUNGUS ARE NOW IN THE U.S. AND WE'RE LIKELY INTRODUCE THROUGH INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL.

Drug-resistant fungus found in NC

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services are warning nursing homes, hospitals and other care facilities about the spread of a highly contagious, hard-to-treat fungal infection, Candida auris.

CDC, NC health leaders warn of drug-resistant fungal threat in care facilities 

Candida auris

In Lincoln County, Tenn., a thick layer of black residue covers up street signs and clings to roofs and trees. It's called whiskey fungus, and it comes from barrel houses where Jack Daniels ages whiskey.

In this small Tennessee town, a layer of thick black residue is covering up street signs clinging onto roofs and trees that is fungus that is growing on the side of this branch. It's called whiskey fungus like on these branches. You see for sure. That's definitely whiskey fungus and it's being fueled by one of the most popular whiskey brands in the world. Jack Daniels which operates six barrel houses here in Lincoln County. Those alcohol vapors released during the aging process of whiskey can travel hundreds of yards, fueling fungal growth spreading on many surfaces. And so this is harder on the metal. Tracy and Warren Ferry purchased their house right before these facilities went up next door to their property. I saw a little slice of heaven three years later. Do you feel the same way? No. Why because I have a, Huge monster in my backyard. That's gonna hold it could ruin everything. Jack Daniels says that this type of microflora is not uncommon around distilleries and that they appreciate that some may not like how it looks and the inconvenience it may present based on the information available. We believe it is not harmful to individuals or their property. Vanderbilt University Professor Antonis Roca is an expert on fungi. So we don't know of any patients that have ever acquired an infection with the Whiskey. I would add to that? That no clinical studies have been done and some now are suing Patrick and Christy long are arguing. Jack Daniels didn't have the required permits for its expansion. Currently, there are six operational barrel houses with eight more in the works, but Jack Daniels tells NBC News about plans to push ahead with their expansion, which they say will bring $1 million $30 and $40,000 a year to clean the mess. They're creating problems pouring over from one of the state's most famous products. Kathy Park, NBC News, Lincoln County, Tennessee,

Fungus Coverage

Calls for Duke University to reconsider herbarium closure

Researchers call on Duke University to reconsider its herbarium closure

Drug-resistant fungus found in NC

CDC, NC health leaders warn of drug-resistant fungal threat in care facilities

Black fungus, from aging whiskey, angers Jack Daniels neighbors

Jack Daniels neighbors balk at buildup of whiskey fungus