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weird science

07/10/2018 / By Carol Anderson

Flesh-eating bacteria thrives on your suffering; the chemicals you release when in excruciating pain actually feed them

If the word flesh-eating bacteria isn’t scary enough, try bacteria which find happiness – or more accurately, satiation – when you’re in pain. It appears that the popular flesh-eating bacterium Streptococcus pyogenes does not only cause strep throat but also initiates a disease called necrotizing fasciitis. According to previous research, a certain type of toxin is being released […]

05/16/2018 / By Isabelle Z.

Ratting them out: Rats are better at detecting tuberculosis in children than standard tests

Tuberculosis ranks among the top ten causes of death around the world, mainly in low-income countries. One problem that makes it difficult to treat is the inability to detect it in the first place; the current methods used to find the disease leave a lot to be desired. Cheap smear tests are generally used in […]

04/15/2018 / By Frances Bloomfield

New device nukes STD viruses with microwaves… including HPV

In the future, treating human papillomavirus (HPV) may be done with a microwave system. Tests with the device, a compact and portable applicator developed by Emblation Microwave, are underway and have yielded positive results thus far. According to HPV experts from the University of Glasgow, it works by delivering a precise and controlled low-energy dose […]

02/11/2018 / By David Williams

Mosquitoes infected with natural bacteria to prevent reproduction will be released in Miami, in a non-GM effort to reduce mosquito populations

It might seem like scientists and other experts have all tried pretty much everything they can to eradicate pesky mosquitoes from the planet. But now, to fight Zika and other kinds of viruses carried by them, a new team of researchers based out of South Miami has decided to simply go after their progeny. According to […]

01/10/2018 / By Zoey Sky

Scientists have determined the mummified child who was killed 500 years ago died from hepatitis, not smallpox

Using DNA samples from a 500-year old mummified remains of a child, researchers were able to crack the genetic code of an ancient strain of the hepatitis B virus (HBV). The finding, wherein scientists were able to “sequence the complete genome” of the virus, could help medical experts understand the intricacies of HBV, which is a “pervasive, complex, […]

01/06/2018 / By Russel Davis

Superbug bacteria found to DEVOUR rivals, then assimilate their genetic code to become RESISTANT to all known antibiotics

The current superbug epidemic may take a turn for the worse as recent research showed that certain bacteria not only develop resistance to antibiotics, but may also copy and assimilate characteristics from their rival microorganisms that may further strengthen their immunity. The study published in the journal Cell Reports shed light on how certain bacteria species fortify their defenses against antibiotics. Researchers at […]

09/16/2017 / By Russel Davis

Shapeshifting bacteria? Scientists discover how E. coli in space becomes antibiotic resistant

Bacterial cells such as E.coli were found to mutate or shapeshift in space to resist common antibiotics that successfully kill them on Earth, a study in the Frontiers in Microbiology revealed. The scientific community has long established that bacteria show different activities in space than when they are on Earth. Likewise, researchers have known that it takes […]

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