All UK & Rest of Europe articles – Page 5
-
NewsCall for input: UK government to overhaul fertiliser regulation
Applied Microbiology International is calling on members to contribute after the UK government proposed a major overhaul of fertiliser regulation through a new framework: the UK Fertilising Product Regulations (UK FPR).
-
NewsClimate change weakens the purification function of lakes
Lakes play a vital filtering role in the ecosystem: they remove excess nitrogen from the water. An international research team has now shown that climate change could weaken this natural purification process. This would have consequences extending all the way to coastal marine ecosystems.
-
NewsCheese bacteria could offer health benefits
Scientists identified the microbial and biochemical profiles of three artisan cheeses made locally in Oxfordshire across their maturation process, and found that the bacteria responsible for a cheese’s character could also benefit the people who eat it.
-
NewsIs organic farming the solution to enhance natural drought resilience in crops?
New research confirms that soils treated organically for decades favor the increase of bacteria, especially the genus Bacillus, which are characterized by being highly resilient to survive in extreme conditions and act as a ‘protective shield’ of plants.
-
NewsSoil science: How AI could help scientists secure a vital global resource
A new paper outlines how AI tools can accelerate soil science by speeding up early-stage work, improving predictions to support decisions on land-use, carbon, and climate adaptation, handling complex data, and freeing scientists to focus on questions that require expert judgment.
-
NewsBrain inflammation is unlikely to explain persistent long COVID symptoms
A new brain imaging study has found no evidence of widespread brain inflammation in patients suffering from prolonged symptoms after COVID-19 infection. Instead, the most severe long COVID symptoms were associated with increased brain activity in regions involved in mood and emotion.
-
News Applied Microbiology International named one of The Sunday Times Best Places to Work for third consecutive year
Applied Microbiology International (AMI) has been named in The Sunday Times Best Places to Work 2026 list for the third consecutive year, recognising the organisation’s continued commitment to staff wellbeing, flexibility and inclusive working culture.
-
NewsWarming oceans can disrupt coral oxygen supply and trigger coral death
A new study shows that marine heatwaves can disrupt microscopic moving structures on the surface of reef-building corals that support their oxygen uptake.
-
NewsSabiá virus has been circulating in Brazil for 142 years and mutating, study finds
Researchers developed a new method and identified the infection in two patients who died from acute hemorrhagic and neurological syndrome in São Paulo in 2019 and 2020.
-
NewsBacterial STIs reach record highs in Europe, and congenital syphilis cases nearly double
New figures indicate a surge in bacterial sexually transmitted infections (STIs) across Europe. In 2024, notifications of gonorrhoea and syphilis, alongside congenital syphilis, reached their highest levels in over a decade, reflecting sustained transmission across multiple countries.
-
CareersVoice of the Future: Inspiring conversations at the science-policy interface
Earlier this year, Suparna Mitra and Alan Koh took part in the Royal Society of Biology’s Voice of the Future event at Parliament, representing AMI. Here they reflect on the experience and what they took away from it.
-
NewsProtected areas that help wildlife often do little for the soil fungi that plants depend on
Scientists built the most comprehensive models ever of the ranges of 2,858 important fungal species and compared them with the world’s protected landscapes. More than half of these critical underground organisms are less protected than if conservation areas had been drawn at random.
-
NewsNew ‘permanently wet’ coating method could transform wastewater treatment by helping bacteria survive better
Living bacteria embedded in coatings could clean wastewater, capture carbon and generate biofuels – if they survive the manufacturing process. Researchers have developed a method that keeps bacteria submerged throughout coating formation, increasing the number of surviving cells by around 500 times compared to conventional approaches.
-
NewsThe impact of microplastics on ocean carbon uptake
Scientists who collected phytoplankton data from various climate zones around the world determined the extent to which growth is limited by microplastics. They have then used this data to calculate the average impact that a certain concentration of microplastics will have on algae in different regions or climate zones, as well as on a global scale.
-
NewsMolecular net boosts the power of natural biopesticides
Scientists have uncovered a previously unknown mechanism that helps a widely used biological pesticide become more effective. The study reveals how bacteria produce ultra-strong protein fibers that form a molecular net, trapping infectious spores and toxins into a sticky film that enhances their ability to kill insect pests.
-
NewsNew molecules can offer breakthrough in fight against antibiotic resistance
Researchers have shown how TriPcides can target the bacterium Staphylococcus aureus, including antibiotic‑resistant strains such as MRSA. The compounds disrupt the bacteria’s ability to cause infection and can also kill dormant bacterial cells, which are often difficult to treat with existing antibiotics.
-
NewsClimate warming causes bleaching in key Arctic lichen, study finds
Long-term climate warming is causing a bleaching effect in a key Arctic lichen species, according to new research. Prolonged warming caused significant bleaching in the dominant lichen species Cetrariella delisei, reducing its ability to photosynthesise and grow.
-
NewsStudy reveals hidden diversity of algae in farmland
Researchers discovered unexpectedly strong seasonal variation in algae in the surface soils of farmland. Xanthophyceae were the most abundant when it was colder, at the time points in spring and autumn; whereas Cyanobacteria and green algae were prevalent shortly before crop harvest in summer.
-
NewsImmune system overreaction linked to deadly flu in pregnancy
Researchers have discovered why influenza can lead to life-threatening complications during pregnancy. In most people, influenza stays in the upper respiratory tract and clears without spreading further. But during pregnancy, the virus can extend into the cardiovascular system, increasing the risk of severe complications for mothers and babies.
-
NewsResearchers link human molecular, microbial diversity with geography, ethnicity
Researchers at the Stanford School of Medicine have found that ethnicity and geography may influence human molecular makeup — from metabolism and immunity to gut microbiota and biological aging. The findings, which published in Cell on May 14, illuminate the complex interplay between genetics and the environment, ...