More Features
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FeaturesHow artificial intelligence and machine learning are transforming agriculture’s future
Agriculture is at a pivotal moment in history, and the sector needs to adopt new ideas to survive and flourish. AI and Machine Learning are no longer futuristic concepts; they are transforming farming today and helping to solve problems that have persisted for a long time.
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FeaturesTap water troubles: how drinking water systems contribute to NTM infections
Commonly found in dust and soil, NTM are worrying microbiologists and health experts alike. But is tap water an unsuspected vehicle for these deceptively harmful infections?
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FeaturesGenome sleuths: using DNA to trace the evolution of animal-to-human pathogens
Zoonotic spillovers have become a significant focus of global health, with outbreaks like SARS and COVID-19 underscoring how quickly these events can escalate into worldwide crises. Genomics is crucial in tracing the origins and predicting the emergence of zoonotic threats.
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FeaturesWhat can microbiology do for psychiatry
Explore the intersection of microbiology, mental disorders, and treatment.
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FeaturesTermite hydrogen: a wildcard in the fight against climate change
Whilst termites are infamous for causing economic damages and destruction of property, their ability to naturally produce hydrogen is virtually unheard of. Could they be used to solve the energy crisis?
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FeaturesThe growing threat of nontuberculous mycobacteria infections
Once overlooked, NTM are now drawing increased attention as their infections pose significant and complex diagnostic challenges. Advances in diagnostic technologies offer the potential to overcome these hurdles to enable precise species-level detection, guide targeted therapy.
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FeaturesClimate, conflict, and antimicrobial resistance: unravelling the threat to global health
Emerging evidence is revealing the interplay between AMR and climate change. How are they linked, and how can we address the challenge?
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FeaturesBlack gold, blue coke, green solutions?
The world needs clean water, and a growing population both raises that demand and constrains the supply. Thankfully, many sanitation technologies have emerged over the past few years, offering new ways to get safe sources of drinking or pharmaceutical-grade water. However, high-tech solutions are not always ideal. Some of the ...
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FeaturesWhat is eating my rocks? A possible novel biological niche inside limestone
“It seems something biological has once lived inside rocks in Namibia.” Read the story of this unusual discovery…
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FeaturesParasitic worms: an unexplored source of novel antimicrobials?
Novel antimicrobials are desperately needed to combat the AMR crisis, however, the clinical and preclinical pipeline for novel antimicrobials is virtually stagnant. This article will shed light on parasitic worms as an unexplored and underappreciated source of antimicrobial peptides.
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FeaturesThe rise of the early cystic fibrosis lung coloniser, Haemophilus influenzae
With the increasing availability of modulator therapies for people with cystic fibrosis, end-stage infection with Pseudomonas aeruginosa is becoming less common. But are we going to see a rise in the prevalence of the early cystic fibrosis lung pathogen Haemophilus influenzae?
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Long ReadsCould spiritual healing sites be fertile ground for new antibiotics?
Common motifs between Streptomyces and sites of spiritual healing may help with the discovery of new sites for bioprospecting. Although there may be a temptation to dismiss the spiritual nature of the healing sites, it is important that researchers begin to understand these in the appropriate cultural and spiritual context.
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FeaturesMarine-derived antibiotics: can ocean microbes help combat superbugs?
The deep expanse of the Earth’s mysterious marine habitat is teeming with opportunities for scientific discovery, including solutions to the world’s most pressing health crises. Among its rich biodiversity are tiny microbes with tremendous potential.
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FeaturesFiltering the future: how low-tech ceramic solutions bring clean water to millions
Access to clean water is one of the most pressing challenges of the 21st century. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), more than two billion people worldwide lack access to safely managed drinking water, with rural and underdeveloped regions bearing the brunt of this crisis.
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FeaturesBiosurfactants for oil spill bioremediation
Oil spills across large areas of seawater disturb oxygen circulation for marine organisms, cause hypothermia in birds, adversely affect navigation routes, and hinder anthropogenic actions like fisheries and tourism. Biological treatments appear to be a promising method and offer a sustainable solution.
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FeaturesThe power of biofilm engineering: one plus one does not always make two
Biofilms are ubiquitous in aquatic systems, where they play essential ecological roles in nutrient cycling, biogeochemical processes, and surface colonisation dynamics.
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FeaturesHarnessing marine microbes for bioremediation: cleaning up ocean pollutants
Ocean pollution is widespread and worsening by the day. From oil spills to garbage accumulation in the Pacific, marine ecosystems are in dire need of a solution.
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FeaturesHow microbes can detoxify heavy metal pollution in the ocean
Researchers have successfully used microbes to reduce the heavy metal toxicity of soils and wastewater through bioremediation. Could they eventually use a similar approach to target heavy metals in the ocean?
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FeaturesUrinary tract infections: addressing the gender gap and advancing microbial insights
Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are among the most common bacterial infections worldwide, disproportionately affecting women and contributing to a significant healthcare burden.
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FeaturesFrom Earth to space: the journey of microbes and their survival mechanisms
What purpose could microbes have beyond the planet’s atmosphere? Discover their applications and the survival mechanisms that make microbes so powerful, even beyond Earth.