Everand Logo

Welcome to Everand!

  • NPR

    A Disturbing Twinkie That Has, So Far, Defied Science

    A Twinkie stored in a basement for eight years has been transformed by fungi, giving scientists something unusual to ponder and probe.
    by Nell Greenfieldboyce Oct 15, 2020 4 minutes
    For eight years, a box of Twinkies sat in Colin Purrington's basement until last week when he finally opened them. Varying levels of mold had developed on the snack cakes, and he eventually sent them to two West Virginia University scientists to study the kind of fungus growing on them.

    Last week, craving sweets, Colin Purrington remembered the Twinkies.

    He'd purchased them back in 2012 for sentimental reasons when he heard that Hostess Brands was going bankrupt and Twinkies might disappear forever.

    "When there's no desserts in the house, you get desperate," says Purrington, who went down to the basement and retrieved the old box of snack cakes, fulling intending to enjoy several.

    He busted out the Twinkies now, instead of waiting a couple more years, in part because he was "just so bored, with the pandemic," Purrington says. "It's terrible, but it just is mind-numbing after a while."

    Like many people, Purrington believed Twinkies are basically immortal, although the official shelf life is. He removed a Twinkie from the box, unwrapped it — it looked fine — and took a bite. Then he retched.

    You’re reading a preview, subscribe to read more.

    More from NPR

    NPR3 min read
    Have You Seen This Emotional Support Gator? Wally's Owner Says He's Lost In Georgia
    Wally has many fans in Pennsylvania and across social media. His owner is enlisting their help, saying Wally was kidnapped, located by a trapper and released into a swamp while vacationing in Georgia.
    NPR3 min readAmerican Government
    Indiana Will Have Its First Competitive Primary Election In Two Decades
    Indiana has its first competitive primary for governor in two decades, as six Republicans vie for their party's nomination. Current Governor Eric Holcomb is term-limited after eight years in office.
    NPR5 min read
    Katie Ledecky Tells NPR About Her Plans For The Paris Olympics — And L.A. In 2028
    Katie Ledecky is used to getting medals, having earned 10 at the Olympics. But on Friday she received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest award a civilian can get from the U.S. government.

    Related Books & Audiobooks