Natural compounds

They may be better known for stir-fries than supercomputing, but shiitake mushrooms have now been harnessed to function as living processors, storing and recalling data like a semiconductor chip but with almost no environmental footprint.

The humble henna plant, famed for its vibrant dye, could hold the key to healing scarred livers. In a new study, researchers have found that its active compound, lawsone, may stop and even reverse liver fibrosis.

A humble kitchen spice could pack a powerful antiviral punch. Researchers have found that compounds in cardamom seeds can trigger the body’s virus-detecting systems, potentially paving the way for natural cold and flu treatments.