All university of exeter articles
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News‘Cocktails’ of common pharmaceuticals in our waterways may promote antibiotic resistance
New research has shown, for the first time, how mixtures of commonly used medications which end up in our waterways and natural environments might increase the development of antibiotic resistant bacteria.
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NewsCoral reefs set to stop growing as climate warms, scientists warn
Most coral reefs will soon stop growing and may begin to erode – and almost all will do so if global warming hits 2°C, according to a new study in the western Atlantic.
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NewsNew research reveals ancient alliance between woody plants and microbes has potential to protect precious peatlands
New research shows that during historic periods of drying the growth of woody plants in a subtropical Chinese peatland improved the quality of organic matter and suppressed decomposing microbial activity.
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NewsBeetroot juice lowers blood pressure in older people by changing oral microbiome
The blood pressure lowering effect of nitrate-rich beetroot juice in older people may be due to specific changes in their oral microbiome, according to the largest study of its kind.
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NewsNew test could save lives from deadly fungal infection that spiked during pandemic
A new lateral-flow test could one day save lives across the world through early detection of a deadly fungal disease which dramatically spiked during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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NewsNew pests and diseases will cut UK tree growth
The arrival of new plant pests and diseases is likely to severely damage UK trees and woodlands in the coming decades, new research shows.
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NewsScientists uncover how bacterial resistance to synergistic drug treatments is arising
Scientists investigating the potential of combined and more powerful drug treatments have found that antimicrobial resistance to these is arising via the vitamin B2 synthesis pathway.
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NewsPlague transmission may have begun a century before the Black Death, study shows
Evidence from 13th-century chroniclers and physicians indicates plague may have been involved in epidemics a century before the Black Death, a new study shows. Source: Dschingis Khan und seine Erben (exhibition catalogue), München 2005, p. 253 Conquest of Baghdad by the Mongols 1258. Right part of a double-page ...
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NewsStudy shows some species are susceptible to broad range of viruses
A study of fruit flies shows some species are highly susceptible to a wide range of viruses. But fly species that were resistant to one virus were generally resistant to others – including very different types of virus.
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NewsOral microbiome may affect cognitive function as we age
The microbial ecosystems within our mouths may affect our cognitive function as we age, according to a study. Interventions such as prebiotics, including dietary nitrate, have potential for delaying cognitive decline.
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NewsExeter launches second round of global funding to tackle antifungal drug resistance
A University of Exeter funding scheme designed to combat the global challenge of fungal antimicrobial resistance (fAMR) has announced a new call for applications.
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NewsSpecialist under-ice species at risk as Arctic warms
’Specialist’ lifeforms that live under Arctic sea ice are at risk as the ice retreats, new research shows. Scientists studied microscopic organisms in four environments – open ocean, river mouths, coasts and under sea ice – in the sea off northern Canada.
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NewsBacteria breakthrough could accelerate mosquito control schemes
Mosquito larvae grow faster if they’re exposed to particular bacteria, according to a new study that could help global health programmes.
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NewsKeeping fewer friends protects ageing monkeys from diseases
New research shows becoming less sociable protects older monkeys from getting ill.
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NewsScientists have successfully bred corals to improve their heat tolerance
A new study has shown that selective breeding can lead to a modest rise in coral heat tolerance. The study documents the world’s first effort to selectively breed adult corals for the ability to survive intense marine heatwaves.
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NewsPlankton bloom off Madagascar linked to drought in South Africa
Researchers show that dust from drought-stricken Southern Africa caused a bloom of marine phytoplankton off the southeast Madagascar coast from November 2019 through February 2020.
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News‘Invisible forest’ of algae thrives as ocean warms
An ‘invisible forest’ of phytoplankton is thriving in part of our warming ocean, new research shows. The study examined phytoplankton at the ocean surface and the ‘subsurface’ – a distinct layer of water beneath – to see how climate variability is affecting them.
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NewsIntensive farming could raise risk of new pandemics
Intensive livestock farming could raise the risk of new pandemics, researchers have warned. A study examines the effect of social and economic factors – which are often overlooked in traditional assessments.
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NewsThe world’s most powerful anti-fungal chemistries cause fungal pathogens to self-destruct
Scientists have discovered that the most widely-used class of antifungals in the world cause pathogens to self-destruct. The research could help improve ways to protect food security and human lives.
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NewsAlgae could replace animal-derived protein for building muscle
A new study demonstrates that the ingestion of two of the most commercially available algal species are rich in protein which supports muscle remodeling in young healthy adults.