New Atlas

Medical Audio available

Blue light might just take the "super" out of superbugs

Michael Irving April 3, 2019

Antibiotics were one of the 20th century's most important scientific discoveries, but their usefulness is quickly fading. Researchers at Purdue University have found that blue light can weaken a particularly nasty “superbug” and make it vulnerable to even mild antiseptics again.

Researchers have found that shining blue light on antibiotic-resistant bacteria can make them vulnerable to drugs ...

Medical Audio available

Anti-evolution drugs could keep gambling bacteria from developing antibiotic resistance

Michael Irving April 2, 2019

Bacteria are fast evolving resistance to antibiotics. A long term strategy might be to prevent them from evolving in the first place. A new study has found that bacteria use clever gambles to adapt – and showed how we could rig the game in our favor.

A new study has found that "anti-evolvability" drugs could be a long-term solution against superbugs

Medical Audio available

The superbug-fighting potential of fish slime

Nick Lavars April 1, 2019

The growing threat of antibiotic-resistant bacteria is seeing scientists get more and more creative in their search for new drugs that might help us maintain the upper hand. Researchers have uncovered what they say is a potential goldmine of antibiotics in the form of fish slime.

Scientists are hailing the mucus that coats fish as a potential goldmine of antibiotics

Medical Audio available

Mighty microgels could make for safer implant surgery

Ben Coxworth March 27, 2019

Although joint replacement surgery typically goes off without a hitch, potentially-dangerous infections can occur after the operation. Scientists from New Jersey's Stevens Institute of Technology are addressing that problem, with a new type of highly-targeted bacteria-killing gel.

The microgels could be applied to implants such as artificial knees or hips

Materials Audio available

Medieval "stained glass" technique prevents bacterial infections

Michael Irving March 5, 2019

Bacteria are a huge problem in hospitals, where colonies can build up on instruments and cause potentially fatal infections in vulnerable patients. Now, researchers at Aston University have developed a new type of antimicrobial material that’s made using a centuries-old stained glass technique.

An old technique for making blue stained glass has now been used to make antibacterial materials

Biology Audio available

Bacteria found to sacrifice themselves to protect the colony from antibiotics

Michael Irving February 5, 2019

For such simple organisms, bacteria are surprisingly crafty when it comes to defending themselves from antibiotics. Now researchers at Princeton have discovered a new bacterial defense mechanism, where dying bugs will “hoard” antibiotics to allow their neighbors to grow unharmed.

A new bacterial defense mechanism has been discovered, where some dying cells sacrifice themselves to protect ...

Science Audio available

Antibiotic-resistant superbug gene found in remote Arctic soil

Rich Haridy January 28, 2019

Researchers have revealed the discovery of antibiotic-resistant genes in remote Arctic soil samples. The genes in question were only first identified a few years ago and have rapidly spread across 100 countries, into areas thousands of miles away with almost no human presence.

Antibiotic-resistant genes have been discovered in Svalbard, a remote archipelago north of Norway

Biology

"Out-of-the-box" new method stops bacteria spreading antibiotic resistance – without killing them

Michael Irving January 11, 2019

We might be losing the war against bacteria, as they rapidly develop resistance to our best drugs. Now researchers from Washington University in St. Louis have found a way to potentially prevent bacteria from spreading antibiotic resistance to each other.

Currently a proof-of-concept, the research could lead to preventing bacteria from spreading antibiotic resistance to each ...

Science

Promising new Alzheimer’s treatment unexpectedly found in old antibiotic

Rich Haridy January 2, 2019

Fascinating new research from a team at Yale has described a promising new Alzheimer’s treatment, developed from a half-century old antibiotic. The research suggests a drinkable cocktail composed of newly discovered polymers may disrupt the early stages of the neurodegenerative disease.

A drinkable cocktail composed of newly discovered polymers may disrupt the early stages of Alzheimer's

Medical

Ancient Irish folk medicine may help fight the world's deadliest bacteria

Michael Irving December 30, 2018

Antibiotic-resistant bacteria pose an ever-growing threat to human health. But looking to the past might help our future – researchers from Swansea University Medical School have discovered a new potential superbug killer in Irish soil, which has long been believed to have healing properties.

The newly-discovered bacteria strain Streptomyces sp. myrophorea, which has been found to produce potent antibiotics