That green stuff on Bulgarian statues

A look back at that exciting moment when humans took the first hard, analytic look at the green muck that grows on Bulgarian statues [one of which is pictured below]. It’s all described, in and between the lines, in the monograph:

“First Study of Aerophytic Cryptogams on Monuments in Bulgaria,” Georg Gartner and Maya P. Stoyneva,Ber. nat.-med. Verein Innsbruck Band, 90 S. 73-82 Innsbruck, Nov. 2003.

“The first study of aerophytic cryptogams from granite monuments investigated in the Bulgarian town Koprivshtitsa (Sredna Gora Mountains – 1058 m a.s.l.) compared with two identical bronze and limestone copies in the capital town Sofia (650 m a.s.l.) is presented…. The algal taxa have been studied in cultures and some comments on their taxonomy and distribution are given.”