A recent study showed that pesticides can harm bee populations for generations. The paper, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, found that bee populations can take a hit for generations once a bee is exposed to a common pesticide in its first year of life. Lead author and University of California … Continue reading Deadly pesticides can harm bee populations for generations, study finds
Ancient and green: Study suggests billion-year-old green algae is the ancestor of all plants on the planet
Scientists discovered fossils of what may now be considered to be the oldest green algae known to science. The seaweed, named Proterocladus antiquus, was said to have lived about a billion years ago. Despite its size (about 2 millimeters in length), the algae had a big role: it was able to produce oxygen through photosynthesis, possibly making it … Continue reading Ancient and green: Study suggests billion-year-old green algae is the ancestor of all plants on the planet
Water purifier inspired by mangrove trees can remove salt from water
Researchers have developed a new type of water purifier that mimics the way mangrove trees remove salt from salt water. This study not only offers a better understanding of the plants’ plumbing system, it could also lead to creating new desalination technologies. An engineering feat that has long baffled scientists is how mangroves survive their environments … Continue reading Water purifier inspired by mangrove trees can remove salt from water
Antibodies act as natural antidepressants: Study
A study by German researchers has found that the antibodies that the immune system produces to fight against disease can also act as natural antidepressants. When the immune system attacks the body, it can have devastating consequences that trigger functional disorders, and autoantibodies can target glutamate, a neurotransmitter. Researchers at the Max Planck Institute of Experimental Medicine (MPIEM) in … Continue reading Antibodies act as natural antidepressants: Study
Pesticide cocktails found to be more dangerous to bees than expected
Combinations of different pesticides are harmful to bees — important insects that help pollinate the environment, according to a recent study. There is global concern over declines in pollinators, and these cocktail pesticides could be detrimental to already endangered bee populations. “Interactions between multiple agrochemicals significantly increase bee mortality,” the study’s lead author, Harry Siviter … Continue reading Pesticide cocktails found to be more dangerous to bees than expected
Medicinal plants: What you need to know about herbal antibiotics
Bacteria tend to develop resistance to industrial antibiotics sooner or later, but this isn’t the case with herbal antibiotics. Herbal antibiotics work in a way where bacteria resistance becomes unlikely, even futile. Medicinal plants, including herbal antibiotics, have been used in the management of infectious diseases since ancient times. In modern times, the effectiveness of many of … Continue reading Medicinal plants: What you need to know about herbal antibiotics
A high-fiber diet may help reduce inflammation linked to COVID-19, study suggests
Up to 50 percent of patients with COVID-19 report experiencing gastrointestinal problems, such as abdominal pain and diarrhea. Research also shows that patients tend to have lower levels of gut bacteria that make short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) by fermenting fiber from foods. SCFAs play a key role in maintaining the integrity of the intestinal barrier. They … Continue reading A high-fiber diet may help reduce inflammation linked to COVID-19, study suggests
Newly discovered “swirlonic state” of matter bends the laws of physics
Researchers have discovered a new kind of active matter that bends the laws of physics. Dubbed “swirlon,” the new matter behaves similarly to how fishes swim in schools and birds fly in murmurations. The laws of physics apply to passive, nonliving matter, ranging from planets all the way down to the smallest atoms. But according to Nikolai Brilliantov, a mathematician … Continue reading Newly discovered “swirlonic state” of matter bends the laws of physics
Scientists find that the coronavirus has another doorway to infect human cells
The deadly pathogen behind the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic may have yet another doorway to get into human cells, suggest two new papers published in the journal Science. The teams behind the papers independently discovered a protein called the neuropilin-1 receptor, which they say is an alternative doorway for SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus – the proper name for the coronavirus behind COVID-19 – to … Continue reading Scientists find that the coronavirus has another doorway to infect human cells
Dr. Eddy Bettermann MD 