This Plastic Dot Sniffs Out Infections Doctors Can’t See
Keeping wounds covered can help them stay clean. But if bacteria grow beneath the bandages, things can get dangerous......»»
Phage cocktail shows promise against drug-resistant bacteria
Researchers have a new battle tactic to fight drug-resistant bacterial infections. Their strategy involves using collections of bacteriophages, viruses that naturally attack bacteria. In a new study, researchers at the University of Chicago Pritzker.....»»
Scientists develop novel method for strengthening PVC products
Researchers have developed a way to make one type of plastic material more durable and less likely to shed dangerous microplastics. Their study has identified a secure way to attach chemical additives to polyvinyl chloride (PVC). The work is publishe.....»»
Wastewater bacteria can break down plastic for food, yielding new possibilities for cleaning up plastic waste
Researchers have long observed that a common family of environmental bacteria, Comamonadacae, grow on plastics littered throughout urban rivers and wastewater systems. But exactly what these Comamonas bacteria are doing has remained a mystery......»»
Bacteria-derived enzyme shows potential for polyethylene biodegradation
Every year, 400 million tons of plastic products are produced worldwide, half of which are single-use items discarded within a year. In particular, non-biodegradable plastic waste, which takes over 500 years to decompose naturally, is mostly treated.....»»
Scientists Figured Out How to Recycle Plastic by Vaporizing It
A new technique could prevent tons of waste in the future—if it can scale......»»
Why plastic bottles in the EU now have their caps attached
You may have bought a drink recently and noticed something odd: the once removable cap is now tethered to the bottle by a small strip of plastic......»»
Poor countries recycle far more imported plastic than previously thought—but it"s not enough
Countries like Malaysia import many metric tons of plastic waste from Europe each year, paying a few pennies per kilo. This might seem strange, but according to Kai Li, it makes sense......»»
Exxon Mobil says advanced recycling is the answer to plastic waste: But is it really?
When California Attorney General Rob Bonta filed suit against Exxon Mobil and accused the oil giant of misleading the public about the effectiveness of plastic recycling, many of the allegations surrounded the company's marketing of a process called.....»»
Breathing may introduce microplastics to the brain—new study
Small plastic particles are everywhere: in the soil where our food is grown, in the water we drink and in the air we breathe. They got there from the plastic we throw away, which ends up in landfill sites, rivers and seas. There the plastic waste slo.....»»
Can addressing gut issues treat long COVID in children?
Study hopes to answer questions about connection between GI and neurological symptoms. Enlarge (credit: Frazao Studio Latino/ Getty Images) Four years after the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, doctors and researchers.....»»
Key negotiator Norway sees "positive signals" ahead of plastic talks
In the single week that world leaders convened for high-level UN talks in New York, nearly 100,000 water bottles' worth of microplastics swirled through the city's air, posing known and still unknown risks to human health......»»
Do you feel eco-guilt or eco-shame? Emotions reveal how much we care about the environment
Air travel, meat in the shopping cart, waste sorting, plastic toys—consumers are faced with a barrage of everyday decisions and priorities when navigating environmental concerns. But what drives these choices?.....»»
Citizen scientists help discover microplastics along the entire German coastline
The global production of plastics and the resulting plastic waste has increased to such an extent that plastics have become ubiquitous in our environment. Plastics of various sizes are also found along the German North Sea and Baltic coasts......»»
Study finds good nutrition boosts honey bee resilience against pesticides, viruses
In a new study, researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign tackled a thorny problem: How do nutritional stress, viral infections and exposure to pesticides together influence honey bee survival? By looking at all three stressors toget.....»»
How cyber compliance helps minimize the risk of ransomware infections
Over the past decade, ransomware has been cemented as one of the top cybersecurity threats. In 2023 alone, the FBI received 2,385 ransomware complaints, resulting in over $34 million in losses. To help businesses combat ransomware and other threats,.....»»
Researchers are commercializing technology to turn waste into plastic-free, biodegradable packaging
Seafood is a major industry in New England. It generates a lot of revenue for coastal communities, but with that productivity can come a lot of waste......»»
"Convergence" growing on global plastics treaty: UN environment chief
The UN environment chief said Sunday she was beginning to see convergence on the world's first binding treaty on plastic pollution despite differences on production caps and a tax-like plastic fee......»»
California governor signs law banning all plastic shopping bags at grocery stores
California governor signs law banning all plastic shopping bags at grocery stores.....»»
Scientists reviewed 7,000 studies on microplastics. Their alarming conclusion puts humanity on notice
It's been 20 years since a paper in the journal Science showed the environmental accumulation of tiny plastic fragments and fibers. It named the particles "microplastics.".....»»
Genome sequence analysis identifies new driver of antimicrobial resistance
Antibiotics are a lifesaving tool. Yet, due to their chronic overuse, microbes are evolving and developing immunity against them. As a result, once-effective medications can no longer stave off infections, complicating treatment and increasing mortal.....»»