Mercury is a highly toxic chemical element, and although it is dangerous in its elemental form, it becomes especially harmful when it is converted into methylmercury. This compound, accumulating in marine organisms, can enter the food chain and cause severe health effects, particularly impacting the neurological development of fetuses and children. The severity lies in […]
Microbiology
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Microorganisms discovered living hundreds of meters deep in Greenland 75 million years ago
A recent international study, led by Associate Professor Henrik Drake from Linnaeus University, has uncovered groundbreaking evidence that microorganisms lived deep beneath Greenland’s rocky surface 75 million years ago. This research offers new insights into the history of the “deep biosphere”, a hidden world of life existing far beneath the Earth’s surface. The deep biosphere […]
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Magnetic Bacteria in Migratory Animals: The Key to Their Navigation Skills?
Recent research suggests that the exceptional navigational abilities of migratory animals may be influenced not just by the Earth’s magnetic fields but also by magnetic bacteria residing within them. Robert Fitak, an assistant professor at the University of Central Florida (UCF), has spearheaded this research by developing a comprehensive DNA database. This database houses millions […]
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Scientists Create Modified Stainless Steel That Can Eliminate Bacteria Without Antibiotics or Chemicals
Researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology have developed an innovative electrochemical process that could provide a new defense against bacterial infections without contributing to the growing issue of antibiotic resistance. This breakthrough leverages the natural antibacterial properties of copper and creates nanometer-sized needle-like structures on the surface of stainless steel to effectively kill harmful […]
Posted inBronze Age Archaeology
Analysis of Bronze Age Teeth Shows How Dietary Change Drove the Evolution of Caries Bacteria
New research has shed light on the evolution of oral health and the impact of dietary changes on the human mouth. A team of scientists has successfully extracted and analyzed microbial DNA from two remarkably well-preserved 4,000-year-old teeth discovered in a limestone cave in Ireland. Their findings, which include the identification of gum disease-causing bacteria […]
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Molecular Interactions that Led to Life Contradict Newton’s Third Law of Motion
Researchers from the Universities of Pennsylvania and Maine have discovered that, contrary to Newton’s third law of motion, not every action has an equal and opposite reaction. This finding, published in the journal Chem, could help understand how certain molecular interactions evolved in a pre-life world. The team, led by Ayusman Sen, a professor of […]
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Researchers Discover Antimicrobial Properties of Tomato Juice Can Eliminate Salmonella
A recent study published in Microbiology Spectrum, the journal of the American Society for Microbiology, has found that tomato juice is effective at killing Salmonella Typhi and other enteric pathogens that can damage the digestive and urinary tract health. Salmonella Typhi is a specific human pathogen that causes typhoid fever. The research team, led by […]
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Iron-Driven Memory: Bacteria Crafting and Transmitting Generational Knowledge
A team of researchers from the University of Texas at Austin has made a fascinating discovery that could revolutionize our understanding of how bacteria develop strategies to cause dangerous infections in humans. This finding, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, has potential applications in preventing and combating bacterial infections, as well […]
