Those little packets of silica gel that come in everything from your shoeboxes to burrito packets are the gold standard for fending off fungal growth and moisture. But scientists have now developed a material they claim to absorb twice as much.
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The world is in desperate need of new antibiotics, as bacteria continue to evolve and develop resistance to the ones we have. Now, researchers at La Trobe University have found a peptide in the flower of a tobacco plant that could be the first of a new kind of antibiotic.
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Almost two-thirds of denture-wearers in the US frequently experience what's known as denture-related stomatitis – fungal infections of the mouth. In order to try and bring that number down, scientists have recently created 3D-printed dentures that release fungus-killing medicine.
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Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) is a deadly skin fungus that threatens populations of frogs and salamanders around the world. There may be new hope for catching it early enough to limit amphibian fatalities, however, thanks to the analysis of what's known as environmental DNA.
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If cracks in concrete can be fixed when they're still tiny, then they can't become large cracks that ultimately cause structures to collapse. It is with this in mind that various types of self-healing concrete have been developed. One of the latest utilizes a type of fungus to do the healing.
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White-nose syndrome is a disease that infects bats as they hibernate, and it's been reducing their numbers in recent years. There may be new hope, however, as scientists have discovered that the fungus behind the disease is killed by exposure to UV light.
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It’s one of nature’s most disturbing horror stories: a fungus takes control of a living ant to spread spores through the colony. But now a study led by Penn State University has found that the fungus makes these “zombie ants” without directly infecting the brains of its hosts.
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Mushroom sausages may sound like a vegan dish, but for Brunel University London student Aleksi Vesaluoma, they're an unorthodox building material that not only allows for light, biodegradable structures, but has the added bonus of providing a delicious side dish for the morning bacon and eggs.
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We need to develop new antibiotics, but the fungi species that produce them can be hard to work with. Now, scientists have used baker’s yeast to create penicillin, which is a big step towards creating easy-to-tweak “mini-factories” for new antibiotics and anti-inflammatory drugs.
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Aflatoxins in fungi have been linked to stunted growth in children, liver cancer, and immune suppression. Now, researchers have genetically modified corn plants to fight back, by letting them send “Trojan horse” molecules into the fungus to neutralize its ability to produce the toxins.
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