Precious fungi specimens smuggled out of China as World War II began are returned

Prized mushroom collection returns to China

Beyond bison and bears: Scientists seeking Yellowstone’s hidden species find more than 1,200

Scientists look for Yellowstone’s hidden species

Get your 1788 cognac here: Paris’ Tour d’Argent wine cellar auctions off some treasures

PARIS — Over the years, the chief sommelier had forgotten they were there. And when the four bottles of 1875 Armagnac Vieux were finally unearthed from the labyrinthine wine cellar this week, they were covered in a black fungus that looked like matted cat fur.

18-year-old patient charged with stabbing central NY nurse while high on psychedelic mushrooms

CORTLAND, N.Y. — Authorities say an 18-year-old patient high on psychedelic mushrooms stabbed a nurse in the chest with a pocket knife during an examination at a central New York hospital.

Barley, hops, yeast, fermentation: Tour Wisconsin’s craft breweries

MILWAUKEE — Wisconsin lost its unofficial beer capital designation when large brewers moved away decades ago, but the state’s reputation remains strong among beer-lovers as brewpubs and microbreweries have taken the reins — with nearly 70 around the state.

Federal ruling favors Bausch & Lomb in lens-cleaner lawsuits over non-fungal infections

ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Bausch & Lomb Inc., rocked by the worldwide recall of its flagship contact lens solution in 2006, has beaten back scientific claims blaming ReNu with MoistureLoc cleaner for a flurry of non-fungal eye infections.

From pythons to fungus to zebra mussels, invasive species threaten people, native wildlife

WASHINGTON — A pet Burmese python broke out of a glass cage last week and killed a 2-year-old girl in her Florida bedroom. The tragedy became the latest and most graphic example of a problem that has plagued the state for more than a decade: a nonnative species that is wreaking havoc in the Everglades, threatening people, the environment and native wildlife.

Senate hearing focuses on diseases, invasive species threatening people, native wildlife

WASHINGTON — A pet Burmese python broke out of a glass cage last week and strangled to death a 2-year-old girl in her Florida bedroom.

DC Metro train operator: Driver who died in other train saved lives by hitting brakes

BUFFALO, N.Y. — The rookie operator of a Washington, D.C., Metro train saved lives by applying an emergency brake moments before a collision with another train killed her and eight passengers, the other train’s operator said at her funeral Wednesday.

Experts tell Congress bat fungus could lead to die-off not seen in century

WASHINGTON — A mysterious fungus attacking America’s bats could spread nationwide within years and represents the most serious threat to wildlife in a century, experts warned Congress Thursday.

2-pound ‘mountain chicken’ frogs hop on planes, flee fungus in Montserrat

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — Scientists are airlifting dozens of one of the world’s largest frogs off of Montserrat island to save them from a deadly fungus devastating their dwindling habitat.

Lawmakers say bat disease poses profound implications, seek research funding

MONTPELIER, Vt. — Congressional members from 13 states are asking the Obama administration for emergency funding to keep bats alive.

Forest Service closing caves, mines on federal lands to control spread of bat fungus

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The U.S. Forest Service is closing thousands of caves and former mines in national forests in 33 states in an effort to control a fungus that has already killed an estimated 500,000 bats.

Forest Service prepares to close caves, mines on federal lands to control spread of bat fungus

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The U.S. Forest Service is preparing to close thousands of caves and former mines in national forests in 33 states in an effort to control a fungus that has already killed an estimated 500,000 bats.