Bacteria do not colonize the gut before birth
Researchers examined prenatal stool (meconium) samples collected from 20 babies during breech Cesarean delivery. By including only breech caesarean deliveries in healthy pregnant women they were able to avoid the transmission of bacteria that occurs.....»»
The First Pill for Postpartum Depression Is Almost Here
Current treatments for depression after giving birth are either slow to work or hard to get. The FDA is considering a new tablet that relieves symptoms within days......»»
Bringing back extinct molecules to fight modern bacteria
A team of microbiologists and bioengineers at the University of Pennsylvania has tested the possibility of bringing back extinct molecules to fight modern bacteria. In their study, reported in Cell Host & Microbe, Jacqueline Maasch, Marcelo Torres, M.....»»
Europeans make love but not babies, says demography expert
As Europe's population ages, understanding the causes of declining birth rates becomes more important......»»
Fossil skulls alone cannot predict if animal was warm blooded, study finds
The ability of most mammals to maintain a relatively constant and high body temperature is considered a key adaptation, enabling them to successfully colonize new habitats and harsh environments. Eager to determine how this ability evolved, some scie.....»»
Imaging shows how solar-powered microbes turn carbon dioxide into bioplastic
When considering ways to sustainably generate environmentally friendly products, bacteria might not immediately spring to mind......»»
Your genetic code has lots of "words" for the same thing—information theory may help explain the redundancies
Nearly all life, from bacteria to humans, uses the same genetic code. This code acts as a dictionary, translating genes into the amino acids used to build proteins. The universality of the genetic code indicates a common ancestry among all living org.....»»
Scientists use a bath of swimming bacteria to assemble unconventional materials
A hot bath is a place to relax. For scientists, it is also where molecules or tiny building blocks meet to form materials. Researchers at the Institute of Science and Technology Austria (ISTA) take it to the next level and use the energy of swimming.....»»
Making renewable, infinitely recyclable plastics using bacteria
Plastic waste is a problem. Most plastics can't be recycled, and many use finite, polluting petrochemicals as the basic ingredients. But that's changing. In a study published in Nature Sustainability, researchers successfully engineered microbes to m.....»»
Artificial photosynthesis with engineering of protein crystals in bacteria
In-cell engineering can be a powerful tool for synthesizing functional protein crystals with promising catalytic properties, show researchers at Tokyo Tech. Using genetically modified bacteria as an environmentally friendly synthesis platform, the re.....»»
New image reveals secrets of planet birth
A spectacular new image released today by the European Southern Observatory gives us clues about how planets as massive as Jupiter could form. Using ESO's Very Large Telescope (VLT) and the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA), researc.....»»
SeqCode provides a path to name uncultivated prokaryotes
Most prokaryotes have never been isolated in pure culture and cannot be named under the International Code of Nomenclature of Prokaryotes (ICNP). However, many studies have described uncultured bacteria and archaea though metagenome-assembled genome.....»»
Study improves understanding of how bacteria benefit plant growth
Plants form alliances with microbes in the soil in which they grow. Legumes, for example, benefit from a symbiotic relationship with microbes that inhabit nodules in their roots and "fix" nitrogen in the atmosphere to make it available to promote the.....»»
Detection of bacteria and viruses with fluorescent nanotubes
An interdisciplinary research team from Bochum, Duisburg and Zurich has developed a new approach to construct modular optical sensors which are capable of detecting viruses and bacteria. The researchers used fluorescent carbon nanotubes with a novel.....»»
Researchers design synthetic peptide to kill antibiotic-resistant bacteria
Researchers at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) have designed a short peptide capable of poisoning a key enzyme in disease-causing bacteria, including some of most deadly and antibiotic-resistant species......»»
Researchers uncover novel bacterial communication system to combat antimicrobial resistance
Researchers have discovered a new stress signaling system that enables bacteria cells to adapt and protect themselves against the immune system and certain antibiotics......»»
Searching for resilience to sea star wasting disease
Your body is home to a unique collection of bacteria, viruses, and fungi that live in and on you, known as your microbiome. When everything is in balance, you feel good. But when your microbiome is off, you can get sick. The same applies to the rest.....»»
Scientists use supercomputer to learn how cicada wings kill bacteria
Over the past decade, teams of engineers, chemists and biologists have analyzed the physical and chemical properties of cicada wings, hoping to unlock the secret of their ability to kill microbes on contact. If this function of nature can be replicat.....»»
The US Finally Approved an Over-the-Counter Birth Control Pill. Here’s What to Know
By early 2024, a tablet called Opill will be sold in pharmacies without a prescription, making it easier for uninsured and young buyers to access......»»
Giant panda gives birth to squirming, squealing healthy twin girls at South Korean theme park
A giant panda has given birth to squirming, squealing healthy twin girls at a South Korean theme park......»»
FDA approves the first over-the-counter birth control pill
The move is seen as a victory for reproductive rights, which are under intense attack. Enlarge (credit: Perrigo) For the first time, the Food and Drug Administration has approved a birth control pill to be sold without a.....»»