https://phys.org/ en-us Phys.org internet news portal provides the latest news on science including: Physics, Nanotechnology, Life Sciences, Space Science, Earth Science, Environment, Health and Medicine. Viewed under a microscope, the air above the Amazon rainforest teems with activity. It is full of pollen, fungal spores, tiny plant particles and bacteria. Normally, the composition of this bioaerosol community is quite stable. A team that included researchers from the University of Graz, the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry in Mainz and Brazilian partner institutions has now shown that microorganisms are transported across the Atlantic along with desert dust from the Sahara. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-saharan-bacteria-atlantic-amazon-rainforest.html Environment Thu, 29 Oct 2026 09:20:01 EDT news712482062 Worldwide, antibiotic resistance is associated with millions of deaths every year, and the World Health Organization warns that the number of resistant infections is rising. Colistin is a last-resort antibiotic used when other treatments fail, but rates of colistin-resistant infections are rising as well, putting people at even greater risk and increasing the urgency for new therapeutic approaches. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-amino-acid-boosts-resort-antibiotic.html Cell & Microbiology Thu, 29 Oct 2026 09:00:01 EDT news712404121 Computational biologist Christina Leslie, Ph.D., has spent nearly two decades at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK) building computational tools that help make sense of some of the most complex data in biology. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-qa-decoding-cell-conversation-biologist.html Cell & Microbiology Wed, 28 Oct 2026 17:40:06 EDT news712425721 What has the consistency of both toothpaste and dough, can absorb twice its weight in water and still remain sticky, was used by medieval artists as a binder in paint and has been hypothesized by physicians to repel insects? It's earwax. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-earwax-slippery-sticky-weird-combo.html Ecology Wed, 28 Oct 2026 10:00:01 EDT news712393398 Beneath the forest floor extends a vast ecosystem where a diverse array of microorganisms inhabit soil and root systems. Here, fungi and bacteria play pivotal roles in processes such as nutrient cycling and carbon sequestration. Within these microbial communities may exist a keystone species, which exerts a disproportionately large influence on the entire structure and function of such an ecosystem. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-dna-analysis-root-fungi-potential.html Ecology Wed, 28 Oct 2026 05:00:01 EDT news712242302 Scientists hunting for a new malaria treatment may have found a solution within a historical natural compound collection housed at The Herbert Wertheim UF Scripps Institute for Biomedical Innovation & Technology. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-potential-antimalarial-compound-microbe.html Biochemistry Tue, 27 Oct 2026 17:30:01 EDT news712334882 New research from the University of Sydney expands the potential medicinal benefits of honey and propolis (the plant resin and beeswax mixture bees use to build their nests) produced by Australia's stingless bees. Building on earlier research, a study led by Ph.D. candidate Jasmin Li tested the honey and propolis against bacterial and fungal pathogens. The honey was active against all bacteria tested, including species that are a growing concern for antimicrobial resistance, such as hard-to-treat hospital bacteria Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Klebsiella pneumoniae. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-native-stingless-bees-combat-antimicrobial.html Plants & Animals Tue, 27 Oct 2026 15:40:04 EDT news712315077 A new study led by Kumar Venkitanarayanan, dean of the College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources (CAHNR), has shown that plant-based antimicrobials are a promising path toward controlling antibiotic resistance in foodborne pathogens. The research is published in the journal Frontiers in Veterinary Science. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-based-antimicrobial-antibiotic-resistance-poultry.html Cell & Microbiology Tue, 27 Oct 2026 14:30:01 EDT news712310379 Vultures are one of the most threatened groups of birds in the world. Currently, at least 16 of the 23 species of vulture are of conservation concern, largely as a result of poisoning and other threats due to human activity. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-avian-influenza-threatens-vulture-populations.html Plants & Animals Tue, 27 Oct 2026 13:00:01 EDT news712315690 A nano-wrinkled surface combined with a tiny soft actuator can break up infection-causing bacterial sheets, called biofilms, that form on medical implants, according to a University of Michigan Engineering study published in Advanced Functional Materials. When implanted in mice, the platform—called DARTS (dynamically actuated reconfigurable topographical surface)—reduced bacterial burden and improved the surrounding tissue response. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-nano-wrinkles-actuation-infectious-biofilms.html Bio & Medicine Tue, 27 Oct 2026 09:20:01 EDT news712310161 Advanced nanoscale imaging technology has revealed the diversity of living cells in human milk and uncovered new insights into how these cells are structured, what they contain and how they use nutrients. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-scientists-reveal-hidden-world-cells.html Bio & Medicine Tue, 27 Oct 2026 09:00:06 EDT news712309321 Natural products produced by microorganisms are a promising source of new drugs. Researchers at the Helmholtz Center for Infection Research (HZI) and its Saarbrücken-based site, the Helmholtz Institute for Pharmaceutical Research Saarland (HIPS), have now discovered a new family of such compounds, elucidated their unusual biosynthesis and developed a way to produce them synthetically. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-silent-bacterial-genes-yield-potential.html Biochemistry Mon, 26 Oct 2026 17:00:12 EDT news712252441 I never thought my shoelaces would get stolen. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-power-poop-conservationists-animal-scat.html Ecology Mon, 26 Oct 2026 15:20:04 EDT news712228105 Many of the most potent antibiotics originate from bacteria. A large proportion belong to a class of compounds known as nonribosomal peptides (NRP). They are produced by large bacterial enzyme machineries—the nonribosomal peptide synthetases, or NRPS for short. These function like molecular assembly lines: Similar to the stations in a car factory, where new parts are added to the car at each step, several specialized modules string together amino acid by amino acid to build a peptide. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-bacteria-reinvent-weapons-chance-gene.html Evolution Fri, 23 Oct 2026 16:00:01 EDT news711980821 What if we could predict early in drug development which antibiotics bacteria are most likely to become resistant to? In a review published in Nature Reviews Microbiology, researchers from the HUN-REN Biological Research Centre, Szeged (HUN-REN BRC Szeged) and the Hungarian Centre of Excellence for Molecular Medicine (HCEMM) in Szeged propose a five-step decision-making framework that could help identify resistance risks early, refine promising drug candidates and prevent costly failures. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-antibiotic-resistance-drugs-patients.html Cell & Microbiology Fri, 23 Oct 2026 15:40:01 EDT news711979741 Rising temperatures and increasing drought are shortening crop-growing seasons in many parts of the world. Now scientists in Sweden report new advances toward engineering more efficient photosynthesis, work that could eventually contribute to efforts to adapt crops for climate change. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-climate-resilient-crops-mind-tackles.html Biotechnology Thu, 22 Oct 2026 19:20:01 EDT news711904861 Biological clocks are often associated with light. Historically, most people started their days when the sun was up and ended their days when the sun set. But new research from Carnegie Mellon University suggests that some of the body's most important timekeepers live in the gut. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-gut-bacteria-food-cues-nutrient.html Cell & Microbiology Thu, 22 Oct 2026 11:00:34 EDT news711801722 Clostridium botulinum bacteria produce a potent neurotoxin called botulinum toxin, which causes the serious illness botulism. The toxin attacks the nervous system, leaving the body unable to control its muscles and making every breath a struggle. Without immediate treatment, botulism can be fatal. Humans, however, have managed to domesticate this dangerous bacterium to do their bidding. Over more than 90 years, biologists have been able to turn a wild microbe into an efficient factory for medical, military and cosmetic products like Botox. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-humans-domesticated-bacterium-botox-treatments.html Evolution Wed, 21 Oct 2026 15:50:01 EDT news711814360 Bacteria and the viruses that infect them—known as phages—coexist in soils, oceans and living organisms. Scientists have long thought this coexistence reflects a microscopic version of an evolutionary arms race: As parasites and hosts continually adapt to one another, both evolve ways to survive. But a joint study by researchers at the University of Maryland and the University of Exeter shows different pathways to coexistence. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-scientists-migration-mechanism-enabling-bacteria.html Cell & Microbiology Wed, 21 Oct 2026 14:00:52 EDT news711792422 There are an estimated 10 quintillion insects alive on Earth at any given time. That's 10,000,000,000,000,000,000 individual insects. But how many species are there, why do we need them, and what would happen if their numbers continued to fall? Dr. Alex Dittrich, a zoologist at Nottingham Trent University, explains why these small creatures play such a big role in keeping our planet functioning. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-insects.html Plants & Animals Wed, 21 Oct 2026 11:00:01 EDT news711793877 Bacteria get a bad reputation—with all the outbreaks, infections and deaths. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-infections-bacteria-reveal-medicines-crops.html Cell & Microbiology Wed, 21 Oct 2026 09:40:13 EDT news711785956 The site of a former U.S. military base in Greenland was ice-free at a time when summers were a few degrees warmer than today, according to a new University at Buffalo–led study of ancient sediment recovered from beneath the site in the 1960s. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-forgotten-samples-greenland-cold-war.html Earth Sciences Tue, 20 Oct 2026 19:40:01 EDT news711727681 Leptospirosis is a neglected zoonotic disease caused by pathogenic Leptospira bacteria and can affect humans and animals, including horses. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-connecticut-horses-exposed-leptospira-bacteria.html Veterinary medicine Tue, 20 Oct 2026 15:20:14 EDT news711713359 According to a study conducted by researchers at Sultan Qaboos University, the material used to support microbial biofilms could influence their potential role in treating water generated during oil production. The research was led by Ph.D. candidate Arwa Al-Hadhrami under the supervision of Dr. Daniel Blackburn and conducted by a Sultan Qaboos University team representing the College of Agricultural and Marine Sciences and the Water Research Center, Oman. The results are published in Environmental Advances. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-wood-home-oil-degrading-microbes.html Cell & Microbiology Tue, 20 Oct 2026 09:40:16 EDT news711701111 After a cyclospora outbreak and recalls of imported beef over the summer, a recent Gallup poll found that Americans' confidence in food safety has fallen to a record low, and consumers may be wondering how foodborne illness outbreaks can be tracked and mitigated. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-qa-technology-track-foodborne-pathogens.html Molecular & Computational biology Mon, 19 Oct 2026 21:40:01 EDT news711626869 Researchers have discovered honey beehives act as "living immune systems" that help protect the bee colony, its offspring and food supplies from disease. The finding underlines the need to protect bee habitat to ensure their health. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-beehives-immune-layered-antimicrobial-defenses.html Plants & Animals Mon, 19 Oct 2026 18:00:11 EDT news711643621 A previously unknown population of immune cells in chickens has been discovered by researchers from the University of Bristol Veterinary School in collaboration with The Pirbright Institute. The finding could help transform the way poultry vaccines are developed. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-discovery-chicken-immune-cells-pave.html Veterinary medicine Mon, 19 Oct 2026 15:00:11 EDT news711621732 They can turn up in a nonstick frying pan, a waterproof jacket, a takeout food wrapper or the foam used to fight fires. Known as "forever chemicals," these substances are ubiquitous in modern society, prized for their extreme durability and versatility. However, their charm comes with a curse: They are so durable they resist degradation, posing threats to human health and the environment. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-hunter-killer-chemistry-captures-destroys.html Polymers Mon, 19 Oct 2026 15:00:06 EDT news711620341 Faba beans are rich in protein and can easily be grown in Denmark—yet they are more often used as animal feed than as food for people. One of the main reasons is that their flavor does not meet consumer expectations compared with beef, pork or chicken. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-ancient-technique-bland-beans.html Agriculture Mon, 19 Oct 2026 12:20:18 EDT news711613510 A joint research group led by Ryo Tanifuji and Hiroki Oguri from the University of Tokyo and Yoshikazu Tanaka from Tohoku University has visualized SacC, an enzyme that plays a key role in building the complex five-ring core of safracin B. This core structure is shared with trabectedin, a drug used to treat soft tissue sarcoma. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-frozen-action-visualizing-cancer-drug.html Biochemistry Mon, 19 Oct 2026 11:00:12 EDT news711618661