They described it like this: “A wet sound. Deep. Like someone clearing their throat behind the walls.” We didn’t roll our eyes. We’ve heard weirder.

That’s right. Mold. The fungus among us. The uninvited houseguest who shows up with luggage and immediately makes itself at home in your walls, your vents, and that damp corner of the laundry room you’ve been emotionally avoiding since July.

The region's hot, dry winds lift these particles into the atmosphere. They can travel thousands of miles across the Atlantic Ocean, aided by trade winds.