To address the growing antimicrobial resistance problem, scientists have been searching nature in attempts to find new classes of antibiotics, optimizing existing ones, or designing new antimicrobial molecules. These efforts all focus on one thing: finding stronger, newer antibiotics. Unnecessary exposure to antibiotics enables bacteria to evolve defenses and increases resistance risks. While caution in…
Note: As an Amazon Associate I may earn commissions from qualifying purchases from links in this post (affiliate disclosure). It has been a while since I read an actual book so at the beginning of this year, I set a goal: 12 books this year (as of now, I’ve read six). The first of these…
It’s been a while since I did spooky microbiology stories back in 2021. Then, I nerded out about zombie worms that melt away bones and use microbes to help them gain nutrients, vampire bacteria that feast upon other bacteria, and zombie fungi that take over the minds of ants. But this time, I’m bringing you…
We’re deep into tick season in the Eastern US. As dog parents, we give our pup monthly flea and tick medication and check her for ticks if she’s been in fields or wooded areas. We thought we were in the clear, but when we went to the vet one time, her routine bloodwork came back…
It’s the season of respiratory illnesses and with COVID-19, RSV, and flu abound, it’s hard to make it to spring unscathed. Stories in the news talk about the recent rise in respiratory virus activity over the holidays (here, here, and here) and how respiratory symptoms just won’t seem to subside. A winter full of respiratory…