Wednesday, 23 May, 2012

Lasers read and write CDs and DVDs, form the heart of fiber-optics, and are being used in climate prediction, chemical identification, high-tech manufacturing, even the battle against influenza.

If a piece of toast fell on the floor, would you pick it up and eat it? You probably would if you believe in the 5-second rule, which suggests that your spilled breakfast stays germ-free as long as you snatch it up in five seconds. But while the 5-second rule remains a popular rule of [...]

Fast genomic analysis could open the door to breakthroughs in health, ecology and genetics. How do these machines work, and what have they taught about obesity, microbial diversity, and drug treatment?

Using a chemical reaction that changes color when specific chemicals are present, a new “dipstick” may detect spoilage better than the human nose.

Without trillions of bacteria in our guts, we die. But how do these bacteria colonize the bug-free human infant just after birth? New study details bacterial balancing act.

Did red rain in India carry alien bacteria? One Indian scientist thinks so. Others say it was just spores of a common alga. Pay your money, take your choice!

Want to make alternative fuel? Need to get electricity directly from organic slop? Bacteria may have the perfect answer.

Farms release airborne, drug-resistant bacteria, and indoor air could be making you sick. More news about the particles we breathe every day.

The sea floor reveals another surprise: White chimneys with a biology and geochemistry all their own. Could these chimneys tell us something about the beginning of life?n.

Is bottled water safe and pure? Is bottled water better than tap water? Can you overdose on water? And where did the “8 glasses a day” myth originate?