All Editorial articles – Page 7
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NewsSalicylic acid helps apples fight blue mould after harvest
A natural plant signalling compound could help apples fight one of their most common storage diseases. Researchers found that salicylic acid slowed blue mould development while reshaping the fruit’s phenolic metabolism, revealing chemical changes that may help explain how apples resist fungal decay.
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NewsStudy maps antimicrobial resistance across major drinking water sources
Rivers, reservoirs and lakes can act as reservoirs for antibiotic residues and antimicrobial resistance, but the risks are not evenly distributed. A new study of drinking water sources in the Poyang Lake basin found that rivers and certain lake sites carried higher resistance-gene burdens, with mobile genetic elements emerging as a key factor linked to their spread.
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NewsElephants continue to shape the savanna even after death
Researchers who studied the sites of elephant carcasses in South Africa’s Kruger National Park discovered that decomposition creates nutrient hotspots that can persist on the landscape for years, possibly decades. This flush of nutrients fuels microbial activity and plant vigor, which attracts herbivores to the site long after the visual signs of the elephant have disappeared.
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NewsMachine learning links water quality measurements to potential pathogen risks
A study of drinking water prediction systems shows that environmental measurements could support predictions of multiple microbial targets and generate potential health risk estimates broadly consistent with calculations based on measured pathogen concentrations.
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NewsPerpetual Next signs agreement to accelerate the roll-out of standardized biomethanol plants
Perpetual Next have signed a License and Engineering Agreement with Air Liquide Engineering and Technologies for the supply of syngas-to-methanol technology for Perpetual Next’s first biomethanol facility, with an option to extend across other biomethanol sites.
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NewsMultitarget compound strengthens tomato defenses against TYLCV with layered response
Scientists testing compounds against tomato yellow leaf curl virus found that one antiviral appears to protect tomato plants by coordinating several defensive routes rather than depending on one narrow antiviral action. It strengthens resistance-associated gene activity while also engaging host proteins that may support viral infection.
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NewsWHO welcomes adoption of United Nations political declaration on pandemic prevention, preparedness and response
The World Health Organization (WHO) has welcomed the adoption by the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) of the Political declaration on pandemic prevention, preparedness and response (PPPR).
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NewsWHO Pandemic Hub sets ambitious goal to detect new outbreaks within 24 hours
The WHO has launched a new five-year strategy aimed at helping every country detect and understand emerging health threats within 24 hours by 2030. The plan combines AI, genomic surveillance, modelling and international data-sharing to help stop outbreaks before they grow into wider epidemics or pandemics.
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News‘Molecular movie’ captures penicillin being built atom by atom
Scientists have captured the formation of penicillin’s defining β-lactam ring in unprecedented detail, revealing fleeting chemical steps that had remained hidden for decades. Using ultrafast X-ray imaging, the researchers built a molecular movie of the reaction that could help guide future antibiotic and enzyme design.
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NewsMalaria remains the leading cause of hospital admission and in-hospital death in children under two in Sierra Leone
Malaria remains the biggest threat to young children in Sierra Leone, accounting for more than half of hospital admissions in a large two-year study. Researchers also found that children who received all routine vaccinations and preventive malaria treatment had a substantially lower risk of dying.
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NewsA natural compound takes aim at C. difficile while sparing the gut microbiome
Researchers identify argyrin B, a promising natural compound that targets the bacterium behind dangerous intestinal infections while leaving beneficial gut microbes largely unharmed. The discovery could pave the way for new treatments with fewer relapses and side effects.
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NewsNon-profit offers new front in the fight against pandemics
From AI-powered disease detection to stronger global health networks, Eric and Wendy Schmidt launch a new nonprofit to help the world identify emerging threats and respond before outbreaks escalate.
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NewsPeople with long Covid have drastically different microbiome in their lungs and mouth
A study of more than 700 people has shown that those with long Covid have distinct differences in the mix of bacteria that live in their mouths and lungs, according to a study. The research also shows that these differences in the lung microbiome are linked to respiratory symptoms, as well as the cognitive and digestive problems known to occur in long Covid.
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NewsA self-disinfecting fabric eliminates bacteria, fungi and viruses in hospital settings
Researchers have developed a new self-disinfecting cotton fabric capable of eliminating bacteria, fungi and viruses in hospital settings using visible light. The material incorporates two photoactive compounds which, when exposed to light, generate a highly reactive form of oxygen that damages the microorganisms adhering to the fabric.
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NewsTiny marine microbe sheds new light on how little genetic machinery a cell needs to survive
Scientists have discovered a previously unknown microorganism, which has the smallest genome ever found, that is possibly able to replicate and express its own genetic information. Candidatus Sukunaarchaeum mirabile belongs to the archaea, a group of single-celled organisms that are fundamentally different to bacteria.
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NewsResearchers uncover blueprint for more sustainable agriculture
Researchers have revealed an entirely unexpected blueprint for how one of the oldest microbes on Earth processes nitrogen to create ammonia, the building block of fertilizer. They uncovered a previously unknown structure in a key enzyme responsible for biological nitrogen fixation.
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NewsFrom warning signals to action: Closing a critical gap in infectious disease preparedness
Between the first sign of an unusual event and an effective public health response lie several critical steps: verifying the signal, identifying the pathogen, assessing the risk, making a decision, and translating that decision into action. A new Perspective asks: how can infectious disease risk assessment better support timely and actionable public health decisions?
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NewsCould a vaccine adjuvant help prepare for future pandemics?
A study in mice shows that K3-SPG can activate innate immunity, offering potential temporary defense against respiratory viruses while vaccines are developed.
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NewsThe gooier marine snow is, the better it is at transporting carbon, new study finds
Scientists have revealed that the viscosity of marine snow can have a major impact on how quickly it’s broken down and how far it sinks, factors that influence how much carbon it transports to the deep ocean. They found that gooey marine snow can shuttle more than six times the carbon to the deep ocean than less viscous particles.
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NewsValue-aligned messages increased COVID-19 vaccination intentions, study finds
Vaccine-hesitant adults were more likely to consider getting a COVID-19 vaccine when public health messages acknowledged distrust of government and affirmed values such as personal liberty, a new study found.