Microbes, Bacteria, Viruses

Scientists produced the most complete catalog of marine microbe DNA yet, including data from the deeper zones of the oceans.

DNA From the Ocean's 'Twilight Zone' Could Lead to New Lifesaving Drugs, Scientists Say

Researchers catalogued the genes of more than 300 million groups of marine bacteria, viruses and fungi in hopes that the database could lead to breakthroughs in medicine, energy and agriculture

Matabele ants will tend to the wounds of their nest-mates that have had their legs bitten off by termites.

These Ants Can Diagnose and Treat Their Comrades' Infected Wounds

Matabele ants in sub-Saharan Africa often sustain injuries while hunting termites—and their survival strategy may help humans fight infections, too

What makes cheddar so good? A community of microorganisms working in harmony.

What Makes Cheddar Cheese Taste So Good?

After a year-long cheddar-making experiment, scientists have unraveled the microbial underpinnings of the cheese's buttery flavor

Eczema affects almost 32 million people in the United States.

Here's What Can Cause Itchiness, According to New Research

Scientists discovered a connection between a bacteria linked to eczema and an itch-causing enzyme in a study of mice

The OSIRIS-REx sample return capsule (foreground) landed in the Utah desert on September 24, carrying samples collected from the near-Earth asteroid Bennu (background). 

How NASA Captured Asteroid Dust to Find the Origins of Life

The sample of the space rock Bennu that OSIRIS-REx collected could unlock an ancient existential mystery

Caecilian mothers grow a fatty layer of skin that their babies tear off with specialized teeth and eat.

This Worm-Like Amphibian Eats Its Mother's Skin to Get Microbes

Caecilians are the only known amphibians to pass microbes from one generation to the next, according to a new study

Researchers have isolated phages from zoo-dwelling lemurs, giraffes, binturongs, Visayan pigs and Guinea baboons that might help fight diabetic foot ulcers.

Viruses Found in Animal Poop May One Day Treat Diabetic Foot Ulcers, Scientists Say

Known as bacteriophages, the specialized viruses could hijack and kill drug-resistant bacteria

A new round of Covid-19 vaccinations was recommended by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advisers on Tuesday.

What to Know About the New Covid-19 Vaccines, Now Recommended by CDC Advisers

Experts say the latest boosters are effective against emerging variants including EG.5.1 and BA.2.86

A model of a Neanderthal at the Natural History Museum in London. Researchers theorize that molecules that existed in our extinct ancestors could be used to treat pathogens today.

Scientists Turn to Human Ancestors' DNA in Search for New Antibiotics

Microbe-fighting molecules that once existed in Neanderthals and Denisovans have been re-created in the lab and tested in mice

Permafrost melts into the Kolyma River outside of Zyryanka, Russia, in 2019. The worms in the new study seem to have survived buried deep in the permafrost for tens of thousands of years.

Scientists Revive 46,000-Year-Old Roundworms From Siberian Permafrost

The nematodes had survived in a state of slowed metabolism called cryptobiosis, according to a new paper

The abdomens of Australian honeypot ants can swell to hold honey that the colony uses as a food source when stores run low. 

Honey Made by Ants Could Protect Against Bacteria and Fungi

Australian honeypot ants create and store a sugary substance that may kill microbes, per a new paper that aligns with Indigenous knowledge

The so-called puss caterpillars have sharp spines that can inject powerful venom into humans.

Scientists Reveal Why Asp Caterpillar Stings Are So Excruciatingly Painful

A toxin in the insect's venom, which can punch a hole in cell walls, could inspire new drug-delivery methods in humans

Plastics typically contain chemical additives like metals and dyes, which can leach out and affect organisms nearby.

Microplastic Exposure Makes Microbes More Virulent

Laboratory research shows that someway, somehow, PVC plastic breeds antimicrobial resistance

A coral reef in Honolulu, Hawaii. Half of global coral coverage has disappeared since the 1950s.

Coral Reefs Host a Vast Diversity of Microbes

A two-year expedition at sea uncovered more than half a million varieties of microbial life in Pacific reef-dwelling organisms

Stronger policies around ill workers could improve food safety, the CDC says.

Sick Workers Connected to 41 Percent of Food Poisoning Outbreaks, CDC Reports

Paid sick leave policies could reduce the risk of spreading disease, notes the agency

Turkish world-record-holding free-diver Sahika Ercumen swims amid plastic waste on June 27, 2020, to raise awareness about plastic pollution.

Scientists Discover Microbes That Could Revolutionize Plastic Recycling

These bacteria and fungi can break down certain plastics at cool temperatures, saving money and energy compared to some current methods

With wingspans of up to nine feet, California condors are the largest birds in North America.

Bird Flu Vaccine Approved in Emergency Effort to Save California Condors

The virus has set back the endangered birds' recovery, but a newly hatched chick is flu-free and being raised by veterinarians

Trichophyton simii, shown here under a microscope, is one of 40 species of fungi that can cause ringworm infections.

First Cases of Drug-Resistant Ringworm Found in the U.S.

The two patients—both in New York City—developed itchy rashes that did not go away with typical antifungal medications

California condors are the largest birds in North America.

Twenty Endangered California Condors Die Amid Avian Flu Outbreak

Scientists fear the deaths could set back the slow-breeding birds' recovery by at least a decade

A pharmacist delivers a Covid-19 booster shot in Chicago during a clinic for seniors.

When Should I Get Another Covid Booster?

Here’s what you need to know about getting your next vaccine

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