(no subject)

[laughingrat]

Emerging fungal threat to historical film archives:

Cinematographic film has a layer of gelatin on its surface. This emulsion layer is where the image is formed but also provides ideal food for fungi like Aspergillus and Penicillium.

If the fungus forms a layer of mould on a film it produces enzymes which allow it to use the film as food and to grow.

So the damage it can cause is irreversible as the mould "eats" the image stored on the film's surface.

...

"It's getting worse. It's a kind of newish thing. I've been here (NWFA) for 23 years. This has really only taken up over the last eight to ten years. What might have been perfect six years ago has now been affected by mould."

Especially poignant to me, as someone invested in early movies. It seems like every year brings new discoveries of things once considered completely lost; it's hard to hear that some things might be lost again if proper steps aren't taken.