A new study has reignited the long-standing controversy of the safety of triclosan, an antibacterial compound found in scores of household products. The research, at this stage only verified in mice, found the chemical increases inflammation in the colon and reduces the diversity of gut flora.
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New research from King’s College London has set out to produce a comprehensive database of the various compounds produced by the enormous array of bacteria that resides in our gut. These compounds, called postbiotics, could potentially then be synthesized and used as medications.
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Neonicotinoids are bad news for bees and we've known it for a while. But the situation regarding bee populations and the world's most widely used pesticide has now become so dire that the EU has placed a complete ban on their outdoor use, and it's expected to take effect by the end of the year.
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Proteins are the workhorses of biology, but they’re too sensitive to be useful in the outside world. Now, a team from UC Berkeley has found a way to keep them alive and functioning in a synthetic environment, and used them to make mats that can break down toxic chemicals.
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It’s long been known that the hole in the ozone layer is shrinking, but a new study has provided greater insight into the improving health of the ozone layer by analyzing the chemicals around the hole over the last decade or so.
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A Caltech team has bred bacteria that can make boron-carbon bonds, which were previously only possible in the lab. That ability opens up the range of chemical compounds that bacteria could create, paving the way for easier and more environmentally-friendly production of drugs and other chemicals.
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Rats can breed like crazy, so New York City and SenesTech are working to put a stop to that, with a birth control substance called ContraPest that renders both males and females infertile. The method is said to be humane, environmentally friendly and pose no risk to humans, pets and other animals.
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Plunging more than 10 km (6 mi) down, you might think the the oceans' deepest trenches would be a relatively safe haven from human-made pollutants – but you'd be wrong. Researchers from Newcastle University in the UK have found extremely high levels of chemical pollutants in deep-sea scavengers.
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Ever wonder why a tomato plucked from Grandma's garden tastes so much better than one foraged from a supermarket produce aisle? The natural flavor-giving chemicals have been bred out of most modern tomatoes, but scientists are working to restore them.
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Leaves are kind of like nature’s power plants, converting sunlight into energy for the plant. Now a team at Eindhoven University of Technology is using artificial leaves to produce chemicals, which could lead to solar-powered “mini-factories” that can create drugs and chemicals almost anywhere.
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