Antifungal from sea squirt
Scientists in the US have discovered a powerful anti-fungal compound from a bacteria isolated from a sea squirt collected in the Florida Keys (Science, 2020, 370, 974). Read more in C&I magazine.
Cheez-y volatiles affect flavour
The pungent aromas of cheeses have surprising effects on microbes, researchers in the US report. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) can be generated by fungi on the rinds of smelly cheeses such as camembert. Now, researchers report that fungal volatiles influence bacterial communities present in the cheese. Read the C&I news article.
Plant power in antibiotic resistance
The ability of bacteria to evolve resistance is outpacing the ability to generate effective drugs from traditional sources of antibiotics such as moulds and soil. Now, scientists in the US have compiled the first comprehensive review of plant natural products that play a role in antibacterial activity. Read the C&I magazine article.
Green hydrogen exports
Plans to build a huge solar and wind farm stretching over 6500km2 in north-western Australia’s Pilbara desert are moving apace. In October 2020, the Australian government gave the Asian Renewable Energy Hub (AREH) project ‘Major Project Status,’ which will allow it to fast-track through regulatory approval processes.
Hearty walnuts
People in their 60s and 70s who regularly consume walnuts may have reduced inflammation, associated with a lower risk of heart disease, researchers report. Read more in C&I magazine.
Tips for nanographene
Graphene is the wonder material consisting of sheets of carbon atoms one atom thick. It is expected to boost performance of solar cells, fuel cells, LEDs and more. Read more in C&I magazine.
Inkjet-printed graphene
Two-dimensional materials like graphene are usually made by sequentially exfoliating a single layer of carbon atoms – arranged in a flat sheet – which are then used to produce the desired structures. However, producing layers and combining them to make complex, sandwich-like materials is challenging. To fully exploit the potential of graphene, there is a need for scalable manufacturing techniques. Read the C&I news article.
Super peas
A type of ‘super pea’ may help control blood sugar levels and could reduce the risk of Type 2 diabetes, according to a new UK study which suggests incorporating pea flour into foods. Read more in C&I Magazine.
Ginseng root for AD
A bacterium found in the soil surrounding roots of ginseng plants could provide a new approach for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease, Korean researchers claim. They say they have discovered a novel class of compound that disperses the two types of protein clusters associated with Alzheimer’s at the same time. Read the article in C&I magazine.
Space biomining feasible
To explore what happens to microbes known to leach metals out of rocks, and whether they could perform in space as they do on Earth, nine years ago Cockell and colleagues from various European institutions proposed the BioRock experiment to send bacteria living on rocks to the International Space Station (ISS), (Nat. Commun., doi: 10.1038/s41467-020-19276-w). Read more in C&I magazine.