Chemical trick activates antibiotic directly at the pathogen
Colistin is a last-resort antibiotic that is usually only used for severe infections with resistant bacteria. This is due to its severe kidney-damaging side effects, which occur in about 30% of treated patients. A research team at the Helmholtz Cente.....»»
Syphilis-like diseases were already widespread in America before the arrival of Columbus, new study finds
Researchers at the Universities of Basel and Zurich have discovered the genetic material of the pathogen Treponema pallidum in the bones of people who died in Brazil 2,000 years ago. This is the oldest verified discovery of this pathogen thus far, an.....»»
Chemists use blockchain to simulate more than 4 billion chemical reactions essential to origins of life
Cryptocurrency is usually "mined" through the blockchain by asking a computer to perform a complicated mathematical problem in exchange for tokens of cryptocurrency. But in research appearing in the journal Chem a team of chemists has repurposed this.....»»
New tool reveals gene behavior in bacteria
Bacterial infections cause millions of deaths each year, with the global threat made worse by the increasing resistance of the microbes to antibiotic treatments. This is due in part to the ability of bacteria to switch genes on and off as they sense.....»»
As easy as counting to ten: A new rule for catalysts" design
The "ten electron rule" provides guidance for the design of single-atom alloy catalysts for targeted chemical reactions......»»
Bacterial immune system boosts antibiotic effectiveness against cholera, study reveals
Bacteria have an immune system that protects them against viruses known as bacteriophages. A research team from the Universities of Tübingen and Würzburg has now shown how this immune system enhances the effect of specific antibiotics against the c.....»»
New potato-threatening pathogens reported for first time in Pennsylvania, US
As the home of beloved snack companies like Martin's Potato Chips, Utz and Snyder's of Hanover, Pennsylvania values its potatoes. Tasty tubers across the state may face the threat of newly identified pathogen strains, though, according to Penn State.....»»
A cheap substitute for expensive metal in an industrially common chemical reaction
The chemical industry commonly uses rare, expensive metals to produce pharmaceuticals and other essential substances. Replacing these metals whenever possible with more abundant, cheaper substitutes would benefit environmental sustainability, lower c.....»»
Chemical synthesis: New strategy for skeletal editing on pyridines
A team from the University of Münster has introduced a strategy for converting carbon–nitrogen atom pairs in a frequently used ring-shaped compound into carbon–carbon atom pairs. The method has potential in the quest for active ingredients for n.....»»
Researchers design novel hollow-fiber Cu penetration electrode for efficient CO₂ electroreduction
Electrochemical conversion of CO2 into value-added chemical fuels driven by renewable electrical energy has roles in reducing net CO2 emission and in addressing energy consumption......»»
Study probes unexplored combination of three chemical elements for superconductivity
Skoltech researchers and their colleagues from MIPT and China's Center for High Pressure Science and Technology Advanced Research have computationally explored the stability of the bizarre compounds of hydrogen, lanthanum, and magnesium that exist at.....»»
Glowing COVID-19 diagnostic test prototype produces results in one minute
Cold, flu and COVID-19 season brings that now-familiar ritual: swab, wait, look at the result. But what if, instead of taking 15 minutes or more, a test could quickly determine whether you have COVID-19 with a glowing chemical? Now, in ACS Central Sc.....»»
The pros and cons of oxygen mediating the performance of nickel catalysts in dry reforming of methane
Catalysis is one of the key technologies in the chemical industry and has a wide-reaching impact on various aspects of our daily lives, including plastics manufacturing, drug synthesis, and production of both fertilizers and fuels. It is estimated th.....»»
The differing olfactory worlds of female and male silk moths
A team of researchers from the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, together with colleagues from the Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Germany, has studied olfaction in female silk moths. Using electrophysiological methods, they disco.....»»
Study reveals a reaction at the heart of many renewable energy technologies
A key chemical reaction—in which the movement of protons between the surface of an electrode and an electrolyte drives an electric current—is a critical step in many energy technologies, including fuel cells and the electrolyzers used to produce.....»»
During Pregnancy, the Placenta Hacks the Immune System to Protect the Fetus
Cells in the placenta have an unusual trick for activating gentle immune defenses and keeping them turned on when no infection is present. It involves crafting and deploying a fake virus......»»
Researchers discover new antibiotic-resistant species of bacteria
Researchers at University of Limerick in Ireland have discovered a new species of bacteria that is resistant to antibiotics......»»
Ants make their own ant-ibiotic for infected wounds
Ants have a gland that makes an antibiotic, and use it in response to pheromones. Enlarge / An ant carrying away one of the termites it preys on. (credit: Wikimedia Commons) Although humans may think we are alone in crea.....»»
Solar electric propulsion systems could be just what we need for efficient trips to Mars
There are many different ways to get to Mars, but there are always tradeoffs. Chemical propulsion, proven the most popular, can quickly get a spacecraft to the red planet. But they come at a high cost of bringing their fuel, thereby increasing the mi.....»»
Core-shell "chemical looping" boosts efficiency of greener approach to ethylene production
Ethylene is sometimes called the most important chemical in the petrochemical industry because it serves as the feedstock for a huge range of everyday products. It's used to produce antifreeze, vinyl, synthetic rubber, foam insulation, and plastics o.....»»
Venus" atmospheric chemical anomalies may motivate future astrobiology missions
When scientists detected phosphine in Venus' atmosphere in 2020, it triggered renewed, animated discussions about Venus and its potential habitability. It would be weird if the detection didn't generate interest since phosphine is a potential biomark.....»»