This ice spiral is roughly 1 1/2" tall, found in a frozen pool of water about 2" - 3" deep on a boulder on Tryfan in Snowdonia, Wales at about 2500' on a day when the freezing level was about 500'. There were no overhanging boulders/cliffs etc. How did it form? In other pools, and in the background in this pool, there were 'ice mushrooms', but nothing like this strange spiral formation.  What explains the bubbles on the inside? What explains the spiral shape?

A fungus is spreading in the garden of our summer cottage. It forms a ring (see photo), which has grown year by year and is now about 8 metres in diameter. Large mushroom-like fungi spring up after each rainfall and then appear to take moisture from the lawn and the roots of bushes, drying them out. Why does it form a ring and why does the ring only spread outwards. And how do we get rid of it?

Heikki Oja, Finland

eg possibly they would gain from the contents of vomit - spreading the spores. this would presumably apply only to the ones that look 'innocent' (& taste ok).

possibly they would gain from the breakdown of the victim's body - minerals, etc. also maybe contents of vomit - spreading the spores. this would presumably apply only to the ones that look 'innocent' (& taste ok).

What gives chestnut mushrooms their brown colour? The colour can be wiped away, leaving what looks like a standard white mushroom.

Barry Strong, Manchester, UK

I was watering my plants and some of the water spilled onto a mushroom that was growing in the pot.  The water turned red shortly after making contact with the mushroom.  What caused this?