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[-] uservoid1@lemmy.world 276 points 1 week ago

Or the socket faulty wirings heat the wall and make it less mold friendly.

[-] Tar_alcaran@sh.itjust.works 193 points 1 week ago

No. It's absolutely the next penicillin

[-] nulluser@lemmy.world 112 points 1 week ago

"Got a runny nose or fever? Just lick this electrical socket!"

[-] PhobosAnomaly@feddit.uk 46 points 1 week ago

I mean, very few people would report symptoms of a runny nose or a fever after licking the socket...

[-] T00l_shed@lemmy.world 10 points 1 week ago

Some "just stop testing" logic!

[-] abcd@feddit.org 8 points 1 week ago

Ackshually there ist a 2/3 chance you will end up fine ⚡️

[-] massive_bereavement@fedia.io 23 points 1 week ago

You should start licking batteries, to build resistence.

[-] HeyThisIsntTheYMCA@lemmy.world 5 points 1 week ago

I just like the color electricity tastes

[-] starman2112@sh.itjust.works 7 points 1 week ago

The 1800's called, they want their medicine back

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[-] danc4498@lemmy.world 10 points 1 week ago

Somebody needs to eat a square of that drywall.

[-] nulluser@lemmy.world 35 points 1 week ago

The nearly perfectly symmetrical shape makes me think its due to the electromagnetic fields when current is passing through the socket to whatever is plugged in, but I have no idea why such a small amount would have such a dramatic effect on the mold.

[-] Soapbox@lemmy.zip 31 points 1 week ago

I was thinking it might just be heat from the wiring or plugged in devices keeping it too dry for the mold.

[-] Pyr_Pressure@lemmy.ca 29 points 1 week ago

It could also be that they needed to mud/tape around the opening for the plug in the drywall/plaster and it changed the consistency/chemical makeup just enough to not be as friendly to the growth of mold (less moisture/denser etc)

[-] JustEnoughDucks@slrpnk.net 7 points 1 week ago

Heat spread is symmetric if the material is lol

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[-] MisterD@lemmy.ca 19 points 1 week ago

Or a loose connection is arcing slightly and producing ozone gas

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[-] d.rizo@piefed.social 87 points 1 week ago

Maybe, it's the plaster holding in the wall box...

[-] skisnow@lemmy.ca 32 points 1 week ago

Yeah, I think this is a lot more plausible than the wall heating theory that someone further up got way more upvotes for.

[-] cynar@lemmy.world 9 points 1 week ago

Most likely.

The box tends to sit slightly proud of the wall. When they plaster it in (particularly retroactively) they need to build up the plaster around the socket.

Thicker plaster means more insulation, and less condensation. Less condensation, less mold.

The ring around the socket also supports this. The edge where the new plaster gives way to the old. That point tends to be rougher, and so more prone to capturing mold.

It could also be thicker paint causing the same effect. Most people do the wall with rollers, but sockets with a brush, leading to a thicker coat.

[-] Brummbaer@pawb.social 6 points 1 week ago

Also in some countries plaster comes with antifungal substances mixed in by default.

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[-] 0x0@lemmy.dbzer0.com 52 points 1 week ago
[-] MeatPilot@sh.itjust.works 21 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

Stick conductive metal in the outlet and you will be transported to the fey realm.

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[-] catdog@lemmy.ml 48 points 1 week ago
[-] Khrux@ttrpg.network 7 points 1 week ago

Mushroom circles grow in circles because they drain the nutrients from the ground, and eventually you have a nutrient barren center that grows with the ring of mushrooms around it.

I wonder if this is something similar, although I've not heard of mold using up a resource before.

[-] Pman@lemmy.org 31 points 1 week ago

More like anti-fungal effects but still interesting.

[-] Palacegalleryratio@hexbear.net 28 points 1 week ago

It’s probably that the plug is retrofitted into the wall after construction and it uses a different type of plaster which carries a diffent moisture level.

[-] fakeman_pretendname@feddit.uk 24 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

Mould deflection is one of the lesser known type-G plug and socket safety features.

[-] Buddahriffic@lemmy.world 24 points 1 week ago

It's not perfectly symmetrical around the socket, kinda makes me think of someone spreading wall patching/repair material and/or paint, so maybe the mold didn't like a different material that was made to look the same around the socket?

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[-] Wolf314159@startrek.website 16 points 1 week ago

Ozone being generated by spotty and arcing electrical connections?

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[-] RoabeArt@hexbear.net 15 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

Sometimes mold growing around the perimeter of a socket or switch is a sign of moisture behind that wall (poor insulation, water seeping from a leaky pipe or a hole in the roof...). I've never seen it form a ring like that though, usually it's right on the edge of the outlet plate.

[-] TranscendentalEmpire@lemmy.today 12 points 1 week ago

I've seen similar things with homes with water damage. One of the shitty things about water damage is that you have to redo a lot of the electrics throughout the house because it can cause corrosion. Corrosion in connectors in things like outlets increases resistance and can become a fire risk.

I'm guessing the whole wall got sustained water damage causing corrosion in the outlet, increasing resistance, which caused it to throw off some heat. The heat dried out the plaster and prevented mold growth.

[-] colourlessidea@sopuli.xyz 12 points 1 week ago

Another feather in the cap for the UK plug socket

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[-] Valmond@lemmy.dbzer0.com 12 points 1 week ago

Maybe hands plugging in and unplugging stuff touches the wall and erases the mold.

[-] MonkderVierte@lemmy.zip 10 points 1 week ago

Also, black mold spores cause lung conditions.

[-] glitch1985@lemmy.world 34 points 1 week ago

Thousands of species of mold appear black (actually dark green). The one that is usually singled out in this made up category is Stachybotrys chartarum. The whole “black mold” thing is the result of several irresponsible people who are drumming up fears about mold and then profiting off of those fears. Don’t believe the hype.

The color of a mold has no correlation to how dangerous it may be. This is frequently stated by agencies throughout the world including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

There is no evidence that otherwise healthy individuals have any reason to fear getting sick from general mold growth in buildings, mold inhalation, or any other type of exposure even to the so-called toxic molds. Yes, being around mold may cause minor effects like a stuffy nose or coughing for some, especially those with asthma or mold allergies. Typically, it only seriously affects patients who have underlying health conditions such compromised immune systems who are at risk of systemic fungal infections. But unless you’re in one of those rare categories, you really don’t have much to fear about exposure to any mold species.

That said, we should not have mold growing in our buildings. It is an indication of something wrong and will lead to the degradation of building materials. Regardless of color, all visible mold should be removed from buildings and homes.

[-] SoleInvictus@lemmy.blahaj.zone 12 points 1 week ago

I originally studied environmental microbiology, can confirm.

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[-] blackbrook@mander.xyz 9 points 1 week ago

Not all black colored mold is that kind of black mold.

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[-] ZWQbpkzl@hexbear.net 9 points 1 week ago
[-] RoabeArt@hexbear.net 5 points 1 week ago

Electromagnetic induction.

[-] TyrionBean@lemmy.ml 5 points 1 week ago

Looks like we need to show it to Bisop Brennan!

[-] heartpunk25@lemmy.world 5 points 1 week ago

Well it looks like somebody tried to harness it using 2 forks.

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this post was submitted on 18 Apr 2026
685 points (99.4% liked)

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