Collaborate Disseminate
Scientists are using UV-emitting glass to keep problematic undersea biofilms at bay. The technology may find use in applications such as underwater viewing ports and camera lenses, and perhaps even one day the hulls of ships.Continue ReadingCategory: M… Continue reading UV-emitting glass stops 98% of costly marine microbes
A new study has found that iron levels trigger the formation of a kind of ‘memory’ in bacteria that drives their subsequent behavior. Moreover, the memory is passed on to future generations. The discovery has potential application in the prevention of … Continue reading Iron levels trigger bacterial “memories” that are passed down generations
Ordinarily, when treating chronic wounds, caregivers go to great lengths to keep them free of bacteria. An experimental new dressing, however, actually introduces bacteria to help such wounds heal.Continue ReadingCategory: Medical, ScienceTags: Empa, M… Continue reading Bacteria-filled “living dressing” could help heal chronic wounds
For the first time, researchers have found a bacterium that forms superstructures when it gets caught in sticky traps made by other bacteria, helping it erode enamel and form cavities. The finding could lead to new ways to keep our teeth clear of the i… Continue reading Newly discovered bacterial partnership implicated in dental cavities
E. coli is arguably the most well-studied organism on Earth, but scientists have now discovered a new behavior that’s almost never seen in bacteria. The normally single-celled organisms have shown signs of previously unknown multicellular phases.Contin… Continue reading Single-celled bacteria exhibit previously unknown “multicellularity”
Wearable electronics could soon be powered by dead microbes. New research out of UMass Amherst has demonstrated a biofilm that generates electricity from sweat, harnessing the corpses of dead bacteria – and it’s at least as effective as a battery.Conti… Continue reading Dead-bug biofilm creates powerful evaporation battery
Scientists have demonstrated a new way to fight antibiotic-resistant superbugs by pitting bacteria against each other. The team engineered a common bacteria to safely colonize the surface of medical implants, where it produced enzymes that dissolve sup… Continue reading “Living medicine” recruits bacteria to fight antibiotic-resistant superbugs
The pervasive nature of plastic pollution makes it an incredibly difficult problem to tackle, but lately we’re seeing how microscopic organisms might offer us a helping hand. This has included the discoveries of bacterium that can quickly break down co… Continue reading Sticky bacterial biofilm traps and sinks microplastics for recycling
Microplastics are increasingly found to be polluting oceans and waterways and causing unknown damage to the health of animals and humans. Now, a new study provides evidence there’s cross over with another looming public health threat – antibiotic-resis… Continue reading Wastewater microplastics help superbugs share dangerous genes
Once oil gets into water, it can be difficult to separate the two, which can make polluted water tricky to clean up. Now, researchers at North Carolina (NC) State University have found that a bacterial biofilm membrane can effectively let water through… Continue reading Bacterial biofilm wrings oil out of water