All articles by Linda Stewart
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NewsMolecular clock analysis shows bacteria used oxygen long before widespread photosynthesis
Researchers have constructed a detailed timeline for bacterial evolution and oxygen adaptation. Their findings suggest some bacteria could use trace oxygen long before evolving the ability to produce it through photosynthesis.
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NewsThe beginning of the end: Setting a global target for rubella eradication
Scientists discuss the 2024 World Health Organization’s (WHO) recommendation for universal introduction of rubella-containing vaccines (RCVs) into childhood vaccination programs in all countries – particularly in the remaining 19 countries that have yet to do so.
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NewsAntibiotic resistance among key bacterial species plateaus over time
Scientists studying eight key bacterial species found that while antibiotic resistance initially rises in response to antibiotic use, it does not rise indefinitely. Instead, resistance rates reached an equilibrium over the 20-year period in most species.
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NewsAlmost 500 delegates gather in Birmingham for Europe’s first Minoritised Life Scientists Future Forum
Almost 500 delegates gathered at the ICC in Birmingham over three days this week for the first ever Minoritised Life Scientists Future Forum, which was supported by Applied Microbiology International.
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NewsNew carrier birds brought avian flu to Europe, Americas
Unexpected wild species, from pelicans to peregrine falcons, are transporting the virus from poultry farms to new places around the world and changing where the risk of outbreaks is highest.
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NewsScientists create ‘fungi tiles’ with elephant skin texture to cool buildings
Scientists have developed ‘fungi tiles’ that could one day help to bring the heat down in buildings without consuming energy. These tiles have bumpy, wrinkly texture to the tile, mimicking an elephant’s ability to regulate heat from its skin.
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NewsMuseum collections reveal worldwide spread of butterfly disease
A new study of museum butterfly collections explore how these specimens can be used to track the spread of disease. Ophryocystis elektroscirrha (OE) is a protozoan parasite that can hamper a butterfly’s growth and flight.
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NewsNew antibiotic for multidrug resistant superbug triggers suicide mechanism
Researchers have discovered a new class of antibiotic that selectively targets Neisseria gonorrhoeae, the bacterium that causes gonorrhoea.
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NewsA step towards life on Mars? Lichens survive Martian simulation in new study
For the first time, researchers have demonstrated that certain lichen species can survive Mars-like conditions, including exposure to ionising radiation, while maintaining a metabolically active state.
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NewsMulti-resistance in bacteria predicted by AI model
An AI model can predict whether bacteria will become antibiotic-resistant. The study shows that antibiotic resistance is more easily transmitted between genetically similar bacteria and mainly occurs in wastewater treatment plants and inside the human body.
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NewsPrecision medicine could be possible in the fight against antibiotic resistance
The first-of-its-kind in-depth bacterial evolutionary map could pave the way for the development of precision treatments for certain antibiotic-resistant infections, such as urinary tract infections.
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NewsPinning down the process of West Nile virus transmission
A US project aims to use mathematical models to analyze how factors like temperature, light pollution, and bird and mosquito abundance affect West Nile virus transmission. The ultimate goal is to advise health departments of the best time of year to kill the bugs.
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NewsSurgical fixation for infected sites in pyogenic spondylodiscitis inhibits bone destruction and promotes healing
Pyogenic spondylodiscitis is caused by bacterial infections of the spine and intervertebral discs. Researchers investigated how osterior fixation, in which the normal spine is fixed with pedicle screws and rods to stabilize the infected site, suppresses infection.
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NewsHidden virus harboured by fruit flies may influence experimental accuracy
A new study suggests the presence of Nora virus in laboratory strains of Drosophila fruit flies influences their resilience to stress and bacterial infection and can confound experimental studies of ageing.
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NewsBacteria deployed to fix cracks in space bricks
Researchers have developed a bacteria-based technique to repair bricks that can be used to build lunar habitats, if they get damaged in the moon’s harsh environment.
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NewsUrbanization reshapes soil microbes: Bacteria adapt, fungi resist
A groundbreaking study reveals that urban environments favor bacterial generalists, which adapt to diverse conditions, whereas fungi maintain specialized ecological roles. Despite these divergent responses, the functional overlap between bacteria and fungi ensures ecosystem resilience.
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NewsMicroalgae and bacteria team up to convert CO2 into useful products
Most methods of genetically modifying the bacterium Escherichia coli and other microbes to convert carbon dioxide into useful biological products require additional carbon sources. A new study overcomes this limitation by combining the photosynthetic finesse of a single-celled algae with the production capabilities of the bacteria E. coli.
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NewsChemical radar enables bacteria to detect and kill predators
Researchers have identified a previously unknown defense mechanism of Pseudomonas syringae. They were able to show how the bacterium uses a chemical radar to recognize and eliminate hostile amoebae.
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NewsMiso made in space tastes nuttier, researchers on the ISS find
A new study reveals how researchers successfully made miso on the International Space Station (ISS). They found that the miso smelled and tasted similar to miso fermented on Earth—just with a slightly nuttier, more roasted flavor. The team hopes this research will help broaden the culinary options available to astronauts.
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NewsUK’s first water monitoring center launched to act as early-warning system for disease outbreaks and community health
The University of Bath is launching the UK’s first early-warning public health surveillance system based on detecting tiny traces of chemicals and biological markers found in water.