On Mars, scientists have devised a method for producing rocket fuel that may be used by future astronauts to return to Earth.

Carbon dioxide, sunshine, and frozen water—all resources native to Mars—might be combined with two types of bacteria that would need to be brought by way of a preliminary trip, according to Georgia Institute of Technology researchers.

When exposed to sunlight, cyanobacteria (algae) would consume carbon dioxide from Mars' atmosphere to produce sugars, which would then be converted into propellant by a modified E. coli bacterium.&nbsp;

On Earth, this propellant, known as 2,3-butanediol, is now in use.

It's used to produce rubber polymers.

The rockets that will leave Mars will be powered by methane and liquid oxygen, neither of which are native to Mars.

As a result, they would have to be carried to Mars at significant cost and risk.

The cost of transporting 30 tonnes of methane and liquid oxygen is projected to be over $8 billion.&nbsp;

The method is described in a research published in the journal Nature Communications titled "Designing the bioproduction of Martian rocket propellant via a biotechnology-enabled in situ resource utilization strategy,".

Methane and liquid oxygen are being envisaged as fuels for rocket engines launching from Mars (LOX).

Both aren't found on Mars, so they'd have to be carried from Earth to power a return spaceship into Martian orbit.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

On Mars, scientists have devised a method for producing rocket fuel that may be used by future astronauts to return to Earth. Carbon dioxide, sunshine, and frozen water—all resources native to Mars—might be combined with two types of bacteria that would need to be brought by way of a preliminary trip, according to Georgia Institute of Technology researchers.

On Mars, scientists have devised a method for producing rocket fuel that may be used by future astronauts to return to Earth. Carbon dioxide, sunshine, and frozen water—all resources native to Mars—might be combined with two types of bacteria that would need to be brought by way of a preliminary trip, according to Georgia Institute of Technology researchers. When exposed to sunlight, cyanobacteria (algae) would consume carbon dioxide from Mars' atmosphere to produce sugars, which would then be converted into propellant by a modified E. coli bacterium. On Earth, this propellant, known as 2,3-butanediol, is now in use. It's used to produce rubber polymers. The rockets that will leave Mars will be powered by methane and liquid oxygen, neither of which are native to Mars. As a result, they would have to be carried to Mars at significant cost and risk. The cost of transporting 30 tonnes of methane and liquid oxygen is projected to be over $8 billion. The method is described in a research published in the journal Nature Communications titled "Designing the bioproduction of Martian rocket propellant via a biotechnology-enabled in situ resource utilization strategy,". Methane and liquid oxygen are being envisaged as fuels for rocket engines launching from Mars (LOX). Both aren't found on Mars, so they'd have to be carried from Earth to power a return spaceship into Martian orbit. (With inputs from agencies)

Fuel from microbes: Bacteria to be used as fuel source for future astronauts returning to Earth

In the Arctic in Sweden's far north, about 10 kilometres, east of the tiny town of Abisko, global warming is happening three times faster than in the rest of the world.

Researchers are studying the frozen, now shapeshifting earth, known as permafrost. Permafrost, or the permanently frozen land, covers around 23 million square kilometres in the northern hemisphere.&nbsp;

Most of the permafrost in the Arctic is up to a million years old. Usually, the deeper it is, the older it is.&nbsp;

The study has revealed that rapidly thawing permafrost in the Arctic has the potential to release antibiotic-resistant bacteria, undiscovered viruses. It can also release radioactive waste from cold war nuclear reactors and submarines.

A distinct odour has been observed from hydrogen sulfide, sometimes known as swamp gas. However, the scientists are worried that another gas rising with it, which is, methane.&nbsp;

Between carbon dioxide and methane, permafrost contains some 1,700 billion tonnes of organic carbon. This is almost twice the amount of carbon already present in the atmosphere.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/climate-change-affects-maasai-mara-reserve-in-kenya-423779">Also read |&nbsp;Climate change affects Maasai Mara reserve in Kenya</a>

It has been discovered that the implications of waning permafrost could be much more widespread, with potential for the release of bacteria, unknown viruses, nuclear waste and radiation, and other chemicals of concern.

The research, which has been recently published in Nature Climate Change, describes how deep permafrost, at a depth of more than three meters, is one of the few environments on Earth that has not been exposed to modern antibiotics.

Over 100 diverse microorganisms in Siberia's deep permafrost are antibiotic-resistant.&nbsp;

With this, there is potential for these bacteria to mix with meltwater. This will create new antibiotic-resistant strains.

Another risk includes the by-products of fossil fuels. This has been introduced into permafrost environments since the beginning of the industrial revolution.&nbsp;

The Arctic contains natural metal deposits, including arsenic, mercury and nickel, which have been mined for decades. This has caused huge contamination from waste material across tens of millions of hectares.

There is also a major scope for transportation of pollutants, bacteria and viruses.&nbsp;

Over 1000 settlements, including resource extraction, military and scientific projects, have been created on permafrost during the last 70 years. Combining the local populace increases the likelihood of accidental contact or release.&nbsp;

Johansson, from Lund University's department of physical geography and ecosystem science, has said, "In this active layer, where measurements started in 1978, we have seen it become between seven and 13 centimetres (2.8 and 5 inches) thicker every decade."

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/inside-amazons-worst-human-resources-problem-423796">Also read |&nbsp;Inside Amazon’s worst human resources problem</a>

"This freezer that has kept plants frozen for thousands of years has stored the carbon that then can be released as the active layer gets thicker," she adds.

It is also feared that the Amazon tropical forest could turn into savannah or that the ice sheets atop Greenland and West Antarctica could melt entirely.

"If all the frozen carbon would be released, it would almost triple the concentration of carbon in the atmosphere," Gustaf Hugelius, from Stockholm University who specialises in the carbon cycles of permafrost, tells AFP.

"But that will never happen," he quickly adds.&nbsp;

In the Arctic in Sweden's far north, about 10 kilometres, east of the tiny town of Abisko, global warming is happening three times faster than in the rest of the world.

In the Arctic in Sweden's far north, about 10 kilometres, east of the tiny town of Abisko, global warming is happening three times faster than in the rest of the world. Researchers are studying the frozen, now shapeshifting earth, known as permafrost. Permafrost, or the permanently frozen land, covers around 23 million square kilometres in the northern hemisphere. Most of the permafrost in the Arctic is up to a million years old. Usually, the deeper it is, the older it is. The study has revealed that rapidly thawing permafrost in the Arctic has the potential to release antibiotic-resistant bacteria, undiscovered viruses. It can also release radioactive waste from cold war nuclear reactors and submarines. A distinct odour has been observed from hydrogen sulfide, sometimes known as swamp gas. However, the scientists are worried that another gas rising with it, which is, methane. Between carbon dioxide and methane, permafrost contains some 1,700 billion tonnes of organic carbon. This is almost twice the amount of carbon already present in the atmosphere. Also read | Climate change affects Maasai Mara reserve in Kenya It has been discovered that the implications of waning permafrost could be much more widespread, with potential for the release of bacteria, unknown viruses, nuclear waste and radiation, and other chemicals of concern. The research, which has been recently published in Nature Climate Change, describes how deep permafrost, at a depth of more than three meters, is one of the few environments on Earth that has not been exposed to modern antibiotics. Over 100 diverse microorganisms in Siberia's deep permafrost are antibiotic-resistant. With this, there is potential for these bacteria to mix with meltwater. This will create new antibiotic-resistant strains. Another risk includes the by-products of fossil fuels. This has been introduced into permafrost environments since the beginning of the industrial revolution. The Arctic contains natural metal deposits, including arsenic, mercury and nickel, which have been mined for decades. This has caused huge contamination from waste material across tens of millions of hectares. There is also a major scope for transportation of pollutants, bacteria and viruses. Over 1000 settlements, including resource extraction, military and scientific projects, have been created on permafrost during the last 70 years. Combining the local populace increases the likelihood of accidental contact or release. Johansson, from Lund University's department of physical geography and ecosystem science, has said, "In this active layer, where measurements started in 1978, we have seen it become between seven and 13 centimetres (2.8 and 5 inches) thicker every decade." Also read | Inside Amazon’s worst human resources problem "This freezer that has kept plants frozen for thousands of years has stored the carbon that then can be released as the active layer gets thicker," she adds. It is also feared that the Amazon tropical forest could turn into savannah or that the ice sheets atop Greenland and West Antarctica could melt entirely. "If all the frozen carbon would be released, it would almost triple the concentration of carbon in the atmosphere," Gustaf Hugelius, from Stockholm University who specialises in the carbon cycles of permafrost, tells AFP. "But that will never happen," he quickly adds.

Studying permafrost: Thaw could release bacteria and viruses; scientists alarmed

In a recent development in Chile, a scientist is testing "metal-eating" bacteria to help her clean up the country's highly-polluting mining industry.

In her laboratory in Antofagasta, which happens to be an industrial town 1,100-kilometers north of Santiago, the&nbsp;biotechnologist named Nadac Reales has been carrying out tests with extremophiles, which is organisms that live in extreme environments. Reales came up with her idea while she was conducting tests at a mining plant using microorganisms to improve the extraction of copper.

Speaking to AFP, she said, "I realised there were various needs in the mining industry, for example, what happened with the metallic waste."

While some metals can be recycled in smelting plants, others, such as HGV truck hoppers can hold 50 tons of rock and are often discarded in Chile's Atacama desert.

In her research, Reales, who now runs her own company Rudanac Biotec, concentrated on iron-oxidising bacteria, which is called Leptospirillum.

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She extracted the bacteria from the Tatio geysers located 4,200 meters above sea level, some 350 kilometres from Antofagasta.

She said that the bacteria "live in an acidic environment that is practically unaffected by relatively high concentrations of most metals."

"At first the bacteria took two months to disintegrate a nail."

However, when starved, they had to adapt and find a way of feeding themselves. After two years of trials, the result was a marked increase in the speed at which the bacteria "ate," devouring a nail in just three days. As per Reales, "chemical and microbiological tests" have proved the bacteria are not harmful to humans or the environment.

Drina Vejar, a microbiologist who is working with Reales said, "We've always seen a lot of potential in this project that has already passed an important test in the laboratory."&nbsp;

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"It's really necessary at this time when we have to plan for a more sustainable development, especially in all these cities with so many polluting industries."

Various mining companies have shown interest in the research but the company needs investment to move on to its next stage of trials.

Reales says she needs money to see if her method will "eat a medium-sized beam or a hopper."

In a recent development in Chile, a scientist is testing "metal-eating" bacteria to help her clean up the country's highly-polluting mining industry. In her laboratory in Antofagasta, which happens to be an industrial town 1,100-kilometers north of Santiago, the biotechnologist named Nadac Reales has been carrying out tests with extremophiles, which is organisms that live in extreme environments.

In a recent development in Chile, a scientist is testing "metal-eating" bacteria to help her clean up the country's highly-polluting mining industry. In her laboratory in Antofagasta, which happens to be an industrial town 1,100-kilometers north of Santiago, the biotechnologist named Nadac Reales has been carrying out tests with extremophiles, which is organisms that live in extreme environments. Reales came up with her idea while she was conducting tests at a mining plant using microorganisms to improve the extraction of copper. Speaking to AFP, she said, "I realised there were various needs in the mining industry, for example, what happened with the metallic waste." While some metals can be recycled in smelting plants, others, such as HGV truck hoppers can hold 50 tons of rock and are often discarded in Chile's Atacama desert. In her research, Reales, who now runs her own company Rudanac Biotec, concentrated on iron-oxidising bacteria, which is called Leptospirillum. Also read | 35 of 39 trapped at Canada mine finally make it to surface She extracted the bacteria from the Tatio geysers located 4,200 meters above sea level, some 350 kilometres from Antofagasta. She said that the bacteria "live in an acidic environment that is practically unaffected by relatively high concentrations of most metals." "At first the bacteria took two months to disintegrate a nail." However, when starved, they had to adapt and find a way of feeding themselves. After two years of trials, the result was a marked increase in the speed at which the bacteria "ate," devouring a nail in just three days. As per Reales, "chemical and microbiological tests" have proved the bacteria are not harmful to humans or the environment. Drina Vejar, a microbiologist who is working with Reales said, "We've always seen a lot of potential in this project that has already passed an important test in the laboratory." Also read | In a deal, Aboriginal owners get back world's oldest tropical rainforest "It's really necessary at this time when we have to plan for a more sustainable development, especially in all these cities with so many polluting industries." Various mining companies have shown interest in the research but the company needs investment to move on to its next stage of trials. Reales says she needs money to see if her method will "eat a medium-sized beam or a hopper."

'Meat eating' bacteria: An attempt to clean up mining industry by a Chilean scientist

Researchers claim to have found the oldest strain of bacteria responsible for the deadly bubonic plague which killed millions of people across Asia and Europe in the mid-1300s.

According to the study published in the journal Cell Reports, a bacteria called Yersinia pestis was discovered in what remained of a 500-year-old corpse, possibly of a hunter-gatherer.

The remains of the man officially termed “RV 2039” were found in Latvia during the late 1800s. Examination of these remains revealed that the man was aged between 20-30 during his demise, and was among the four specimen discovered in a territory called Rinnukalns.

How was the bacteria found?

To test the remains from the man’s teeth and bones for bacterial and viral pathogens, scientists from the University of Kiel in Germany used genome sequencing.

Not much later, they found concrete evidence of Yersinia pestis bacteria in RV 2039’s bloodstream. Believed to be the oldest known strain of bacteria to be ever discovered, the strain constitutes a lineage of bacteria that persisted about 7,000 years ago.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/world-asteroid-day-2021-how-close-are-we-to-a-dangerous-collision-394885" hreflang="en">World Asteroid Day 2021: How prepared are we for a dangerous collision?</a>

In a release, Ben Krause-Kyora, author of the study said that the most astonishing facet of this study is perhaps the fact that the “appearance of Y. Pestis” can be pushed back by 2,000 years than previously believed. Krause-Kyora also added that they might be “really close” to the origin of the bacteria.

Even though the strain is believed to be less infectious and deadly than the one which killed millions during the Black Death. According to the study, the ancient bacteria lacked a particular gene which enabled fleas to pass on the plague to others, acting as vectors.

Scientists posit that the man likely died through a bite from an infected animal which transmitted the bacterial infection to him. The disease is believed to have progressed slowly in RV 2039.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-has-eliminated-malaria-from-30-million-cases-to-zero-394808" hreflang="en">China has eliminated malaria: From 30 million cases to zero</a>

Researchers claim to have found the oldest strain of bacteria responsible for the deadly bubonic plague which killed millions of people across Asia and Europe in the mid-1300s.

Researchers claim to have found the oldest strain of bacteria responsible for the deadly bubonic plague which killed millions of people across Asia and Europe in the mid-1300s. According to the study published in the journal Cell Reports, a bacteria called Yersinia pestis was discovered in what remained of a 500-year-old corpse, possibly of a hunter-gatherer. The remains of the man officially termed “RV 2039” were found in Latvia during the late 1800s. Examination of these remains revealed that the man was aged between 20-30 during his demise, and was among the four specimen discovered in a territory called Rinnukalns. How was the bacteria found? To test the remains from the man’s teeth and bones for bacterial and viral pathogens, scientists from the University of Kiel in Germany used genome sequencing. Not much later, they found concrete evidence of Yersinia pestis bacteria in RV 2039’s bloodstream. Believed to be the oldest known strain of bacteria to be ever discovered, the strain constitutes a lineage of bacteria that persisted about 7,000 years ago. Also read: World Asteroid Day 2021: How prepared are we for a dangerous collision? In a release, Ben Krause-Kyora, author of the study said that the most astonishing facet of this study is perhaps the fact that the “appearance of Y. Pestis” can be pushed back by 2,000 years than previously believed. Krause-Kyora also added that they might be “really close” to the origin of the bacteria. Even though the strain is believed to be less infectious and deadly than the one which killed millions during the Black Death. According to the study, the ancient bacteria lacked a particular gene which enabled fleas to pass on the plague to others, acting as vectors. Scientists posit that the man likely died through a bite from an infected animal which transmitted the bacterial infection to him. The disease is believed to have progressed slowly in RV 2039. Also read: China has eliminated malaria: From 30 million cases to zero

Scientists discover oldest strain of bacteria responsible for bubonic plague

Scientists have developed a new way to remove polluting microplastics from the environment and they are trusting bacteria for this task.&nbsp;

Bacteria naturally form a group and stick to surfaces, creating an adhesive substance called "biofilm".&nbsp;

This substance can be seen while brushing our teeth or removing dental plaque for instance.&nbsp;

Also read | <a href="http://wionews.com/entertainment/lifestyle/news-among-seafood-highest-levels-of-microplastics-found-in-molluscs-study-352659">Among seafood highest levels of microplastics found in molluscs: Study</a>

Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) researchers want to use this sort of bacteria group and create tape-like microbe nets that can catch microplastics in polluted water to make an easy, disposable and recyclable blob, reports The Guardian.

At the Microbiology Society's annual conference, these findings were presented on Wednesday and though preliminary, could still lead to sustainably reducing plastic pollution levels.&nbsp;

Also read | <a href="http://wionews.com/science/microplastics-found-in-the-placentas-of-unborn-babies-for-first-time-351801">Microplastics found in the placentas of unborn babies for first time</a>

"It is imperative to develop effective solutions that trap, collect, and even recycle these microplastics to stop the 'plastification' of our natural environments," Sylvia Lang Liu, microbiology researcher at PolyU and main researcher of this project said.

Generally smaller than 5 mm, microplastics are accidentally released into the environment during production and breakdown of items like water bottles, grocery bags, washing nylon clothes, among others.&nbsp;

Even though these particles are tiny, they cannot be biodegradable easily, thereby hanging in the environment for long and also absorbing toxic chemicals.&nbsp;

They also find themselves in the wastewater, oceans, threatening marine animals who end up feeding on them, eventually affecting the food chain and harming human health too.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

Scientists have developed a new way to remove polluting microplastics from the environment and they are trusting bacteria for this task. Bacteria naturally form a group and stick to surfaces, creating an adhesive substance called "biofilm".

Scientists have developed a new way to remove polluting microplastics from the environment and they are trusting bacteria for this task. Bacteria naturally form a group and stick to surfaces, creating an adhesive substance called "biofilm". This substance can be seen while brushing our teeth or removing dental plaque for instance. Also read | Among seafood highest levels of microplastics found in molluscs: Study Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) researchers want to use this sort of bacteria group and create tape-like microbe nets that can catch microplastics in polluted water to make an easy, disposable and recyclable blob, reports The Guardian. At the Microbiology Society's annual conference, these findings were presented on Wednesday and though preliminary, could still lead to sustainably reducing plastic pollution levels. Also read | Microplastics found in the placentas of unborn babies for first time "It is imperative to develop effective solutions that trap, collect, and even recycle these microplastics to stop the 'plastification' of our natural environments," Sylvia Lang Liu, microbiology researcher at PolyU and main researcher of this project said. Generally smaller than 5 mm, microplastics are accidentally released into the environment during production and breakdown of items like water bottles, grocery bags, washing nylon clothes, among others. Even though these particles are tiny, they cannot be biodegradable easily, thereby hanging in the environment for long and also absorbing toxic chemicals. They also find themselves in the wastewater, oceans, threatening marine animals who end up feeding on them, eventually affecting the food chain and harming human health too.

Bacteria can be the answer to remove microplastics from environment

The United States may be in for some more trouble. After inducting the world’s highest coronavirus fatalities while simultaneously witnessing one of its biggest waves of anti-racism protests in recent history, the country may be dealing with flesh-eating bacteria.

Health officials in the US state of Connecticut are issuing warnings to residents after a few people developed infections which were caused by a type of a flesh-eating bacteria. It was found in the Long Island Sound.

The infection caused by this bacteria is called "Vibrio Vulnificus". At least five people in the state have been diagnosed with the infection.

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The infection can cause the infected to need intensive care, or in a more intense case - limb amputation. Additionally, it can also cause necrotising fasciitis, or in other words, a flesh-eating bacteria. This information was made public by the Connecticut Department of Health.

Dr Matthew Cartter, the state epidemiologist for the Health Department referred to the identification of cases as “very concerning”.

“This suggests the Vibrio bacteria may be present in salt or brackish water in or near Long Island Sound, and people should take precautions”, the New York Post reported him as saying.

One case was reported in July, while the other four were reported in August. All the cases were found in adults aged between 49 and 85. Between 2010-19, the state reported just seven cases in total, making the current number relatively way higher.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/more-cats-infected-with-coronavirus-than-previously-considered-study-326858" hreflang="en">More cats infected with coronavirus than previously considered: Study</a>

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention categorises Vibrio as the same genus of bacteria responsible for causing infections from raw and undercooked shellfish.

The extreme infection caused by them Vibrio Vulnificus is capable of causing life-threatening illnesses, especially if an open wound is exposed to an infected shellfish.

It is because of this reason that the CDC warns people with recent wounds, be it from tattoos, piercings, or surgery to steer clear of saltwater.

The United States may be in for some more trouble. After inducting the world’s highest coronavirus fatalities while simultaneously witnessing one of its biggest waves of anti-racism protests in recent history, the country may be dealing with flesh-eating bacteria.

The United States may be in for some more trouble. After inducting the world’s highest coronavirus fatalities while simultaneously witnessing one of its biggest waves of anti-racism protests in recent history, the country may be dealing with flesh-eating bacteria. Health officials in the US state of Connecticut are issuing warnings to residents after a few people developed infections which were caused by a type of a flesh-eating bacteria. It was found in the Long Island Sound. The infection caused by this bacteria is called "Vibrio Vulnificus". At least five people in the state have been diagnosed with the infection. Also read: Bacteria can survive cosmic trip: International Space Station study The infection can cause the infected to need intensive care, or in a more intense case - limb amputation. Additionally, it can also cause necrotising fasciitis, or in other words, a flesh-eating bacteria. This information was made public by the Connecticut Department of Health. Dr Matthew Cartter, the state epidemiologist for the Health Department referred to the identification of cases as “very concerning”. “This suggests the Vibrio bacteria may be present in salt or brackish water in or near Long Island Sound, and people should take precautions”, the New York Post reported him as saying. One case was reported in July, while the other four were reported in August. All the cases were found in adults aged between 49 and 85. Between 2010-19, the state reported just seven cases in total, making the current number relatively way higher. Also read: More cats infected with coronavirus than previously considered: Study The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention categorises Vibrio as the same genus of bacteria responsible for causing infections from raw and undercooked shellfish. The extreme infection caused by them Vibrio Vulnificus is capable of causing life-threatening illnesses, especially if an open wound is exposed to an infected shellfish. It is because of this reason that the CDC warns people with recent wounds, be it from tattoos, piercings, or surgery to steer clear of saltwater.

United States reports five cases of infections caused by a flesh-eating bacteria

Scientists have found a radiation-resistant bacteria can survive at least three years exposed in orbit, suggesting simple life forms could manage the long journey between between Earth and Mars unprotected.

The Japanese scientists behind the research said Wednesday the finding lends credence to so-called "panspermia theory", which posits that microbes can travel from one planet to another, seeding life on arrival.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/indian-satellite-astrosat-detects-uv-light-from-galaxy-93-billion-light-years-away-from-earth-322936">Also read|&nbsp;Indian satellite AstroSat detects UV light from galaxy 9.3 billion light-years away from Earth</a>

To test the theory, the researchers deposited a bacteria called Deinococcus radiodurans outside the International Space Station at an altitude of 400 kilometres (250 miles) from the Earth.

Despite enduring the harsh environment of outer space and exposure to strong UV and large temperature changes, the bacteria was still alive in parts after three years.

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"I knew it would survive after carrying out various experiments in the lab, but when it came back alive, I was relieved," Akihiko Yamagishi, study author and emeritus professor at Tokyo University of Pharmacy and Life Sciences, told AFP.

The results show that the bacteria could weather a journey between Mars and Earth, and opens up intriguing possibilities, he said.

"Everyone thinks the origin of life started on Earth, but the new findings indicate that other planets could also be where life began."

Yamagishi and his team hope to carry out similar experiments outside the Van Allen radiation belt, which would expose the bacteria to even more radiation.

Scientists believe that more than three billion years ago Mars was much warmer than today and was covered in rivers and lakes, conditions which could have led to simple microbial life.

The discovery, published Wednesday in the journal Frontiers in Microbiology, comes with Mars back in the headlines as three missions head for the Red Planet.

They include the Hope probe from the United Arab Emirates, the Tianwen-1 from China and Mars 2020 from the United States, all of which are taking advantage of a period when the Earth and Mars are nearer to each other than usual.

Scientists have found a radiation-resistant bacteria can survive at least three years exposed in orbit, suggesting simple life forms could manage the long journey between between Earth and Mars unprotected.

Scientists have found a radiation-resistant bacteria can survive at least three years exposed in orbit, suggesting simple life forms could manage the long journey between between Earth and Mars unprotected. The Japanese scientists behind the research said Wednesday the finding lends credence to so-called "panspermia theory", which posits that microbes can travel from one planet to another, seeding life on arrival. Also read| Indian satellite AstroSat detects UV light from galaxy 9.3 billion light-years away from Earth To test the theory, the researchers deposited a bacteria called Deinococcus radiodurans outside the International Space Station at an altitude of 400 kilometres (250 miles) from the Earth. Despite enduring the harsh environment of outer space and exposure to strong UV and large temperature changes, the bacteria was still alive in parts after three years. Also read| ISS crew switch cabins to look for source of small cabin air leak "I knew it would survive after carrying out various experiments in the lab, but when it came back alive, I was relieved," Akihiko Yamagishi, study author and emeritus professor at Tokyo University of Pharmacy and Life Sciences, told AFP. The results show that the bacteria could weather a journey between Mars and Earth, and opens up intriguing possibilities, he said. "Everyone thinks the origin of life started on Earth, but the new findings indicate that other planets could also be where life began." Yamagishi and his team hope to carry out similar experiments outside the Van Allen radiation belt, which would expose the bacteria to even more radiation. Scientists believe that more than three billion years ago Mars was much warmer than today and was covered in rivers and lakes, conditions which could have led to simple microbial life. The discovery, published Wednesday in the journal Frontiers in Microbiology, comes with Mars back in the headlines as three missions head for the Red Planet. They include the Hope probe from the United Arab Emirates, the Tianwen-1 from China and Mars 2020 from the United States, all of which are taking advantage of a period when the Earth and Mars are nearer to each other than usual.

Bacteria can survive cosmic trip: International Space Station study

Nearly 500 people have been infected in eastern China with bacteria that cause dysentery after drinking contaminated water, state media said Monday, prompting the closure of a local water plant.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/chinese-official-admits-beijing-has-been-giving-potential-coronavirus-vaccine-to-key-workers-since-july-322733" hreflang="en">China has been giving potential coronavirus vaccine to key workers since July</a>

Hundreds of people in the rural town of Baoyi, which is about 550 kilometres (342 miles) west of Shanghai, have developed fever and diarrhoea since late last week.&nbsp;

According to a report by the local government published Sunday, these people are infected with shigella bacteria. This bacteria is a genus of microbes that can cause dysentery.&nbsp;

Baoyi's water supply has been shut down, and nearly 300 people have been hospitalised.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/nightmares-flashbacks-fatigue-beirut-faces-mental-health-crisis-after-blast-322751">Nightmares, flashbacks, fatigue: Beirut faces mental health crisis after blast</a>

Many of the patients were elderly or children, according to the newspaper.

China has faced problems with the safety of drinking water. Even the residents living the wealthiest cities in the country prefer either bottled or boiled water.&nbsp;

According to Xinhua news agency, China's Ministry of Water Resources had improved water supply services for 256 million rural residents across the country by the end of July.

Nearly 500 people have been infected in eastern China with bacteria that cause dysentery after drinking contaminated water, state media said Monday, prompting the closure of a local water plant.

Nearly 500 people have been infected in eastern China with bacteria that cause dysentery after drinking contaminated water, state media said Monday, prompting the closure of a local water plant. Also read: China has been giving potential coronavirus vaccine to key workers since July Hundreds of people in the rural town of Baoyi, which is about 550 kilometres (342 miles) west of Shanghai, have developed fever and diarrhoea since late last week. According to a report by the local government published Sunday, these people are infected with shigella bacteria. This bacteria is a genus of microbes that can cause dysentery. Baoyi's water supply has been shut down, and nearly 300 people have been hospitalised. Also read: Nightmares, flashbacks, fatigue: Beirut faces mental health crisis after blast Many of the patients were elderly or children, according to the newspaper. China has faced problems with the safety of drinking water. Even the residents living the wealthiest cities in the country prefer either bottled or boiled water. According to Xinhua news agency, China's Ministry of Water Resources had improved water supply services for 256 million rural residents across the country by the end of July.

Hundreds fall ill in China after consuming contaminated water

Scientists have warned that the wreckage of the Titanic, which sank in 1912 killing more 1,500 people, is deteriorating rapidly due to the particular types of bacteria that inhabit the ship.

New video shows Titanic deterioration

Deodorant not enough to stop your body odour? A new futuristic-style bodysuit embedded with live bacteria could help combat those unpleasant smells. The pale grey, long-sleeved "Skin II" has been inserted with healthy probiotic bacteria, which reduces the smell of BO whilst also helping the immune system and encouraging cell renewal, its designer said. Bacteria is embedded into the fabric of the bodysuit in areas where you are most likely to sweat, including the armpits and upper back. It is activated by contact with moisture on the body, so when you sweat, it colonises on the skin to become the dominant bacteria, making it less likely that you'll smell, designer Rosie Broadhead said.

Body odour? Bacteria-embedded bodysuit could help

Acute Encephalitis Syndrome kills over 50 children in Bihar. Bihar has been battling 'AES' for 25 years. 'AES' can be caused by Bacteria, Fungi, & Viruses. UP was also hitted hard by 'AES' in 2017. Watch this video to know more.

India Watch: 'Acute Encephalitis Syndrome' Breakout

Every week, scientists in southern China release three million bacteria-infected mosquitoes on a three kilometre (two-mile) long island in a bid to wipe out diseases such as dengue, yellow fever, and Zika. 
 
The scientists inject mosquito eggs with wolbachia bacteria in a laboratory, then release infected male mosquitoes on the island on the outskirts of the city of Guangzhou. The bacteria, which occurs naturally in about 28 per cent of wild mosquitoes, causes infected males to sterilise the females they mate with. 
 
&quot;The aim is trying to suppress the mosquito density below the threshold which can cause disease transmission,&quot; said Zhiyong Xi, who is director of the Sun Yat-sen University Centre of Vector Control for Tropical Diseases and pioneered the idea. &quot;There are hot spots,&quot; Xi said. &quot;This technology can be used at the beginning to target the hot spots ... it will dramatically reduce disease transmission.&quot; 
 
Mosquito-borne diseases are responsible for more than one million deaths worldwide every year and Zika has become a concern for athletes at this year&#39;s Olympic Games, which open in Rio de Janeiro on Friday. Some athletes, including the top four ranked male golfers, have declined to take part. 
 
An outbreak of the Zika virus in Brazil last year has spread through the Americas and beyond, with China confirming its first case in February. 
 
US health officials have concluded that Zika infections in pregnant women can cause microcephaly, a birth defect marked by small head size that can lead to severe developmental problems in babies. 
 
The World Health Organization has said there is strong scientific consensus that Zika can also cause Guillain-Barre, a rare neurological syndrome that causes temporary paralysis in adults. 
 
Sun Yat-sen&#39;s Xi said that several countries had expressed interest in his experiments, especially Brazil and Mexico. In the laboratory, mosquito eggs are collected from breeding cages containing 5,000 females and 1,600 males and injected with the wolbachia bacteria. 
 
Xi&#39;s facility has the capacity to breed up to five million mosquitoes a week. While a female mosquito that acquires wolbachia by mating is sterile, one that is infected by injection will produce wolbachia-infected offspring. Dengue, yellow fever and Zika are also suppressed in wolbachia-injected females, making it harder for the diseases to be transmitted to humans. 
 
Xi set up his 3,500 square metre (38,000 square feet) &quot;mosquito factory&quot; in 2012 and releases the males into two residential areas on the outskirts of Guangzhou. 
 
Xi said the mosquito population on the island has been reduced by more than 90 per cent. One villager on the island, 66 year-old Liang Jintian, who has lived there for six decades, said the study was so effective he didn&#39;t have to sleep with a mosquito net any longer. 
 
&quot;We used to have a lot of mosquitoes in the past. Back then some people were worried that if mosquitoes were released here, we would get even more mosquitoes,&quot; he said. &quot;We have a lot less mosquitoes now compared to the past.&quot; 
 
(Reuters)

Scientists inject mosquito eggs with wolbachia bacteria, then release infected male mosquitoes to sterilise females they mate with

Every week, scientists in southern China release three million bacteria-infected mosquitoes on a three kilometre (two-mile) long island in a bid to wipe out diseases such as dengue, yellow fever, and Zika. The scientists inject mosquito eggs with wolbachia bacteria in a laboratory, then release infected male mosquitoes on the island on the outskirts of the city of Guangzhou. The bacteria, which occurs naturally in about 28 per cent of wild mosquitoes, causes infected males to sterilise the females they mate with. "The aim is trying to suppress the mosquito density below the threshold which can cause disease transmission," said Zhiyong Xi, who is director of the Sun Yat-sen University Centre of Vector Control for Tropical Diseases and pioneered the idea. "There are hot spots," Xi said. "This technology can be used at the beginning to target the hot spots ... it will dramatically reduce disease transmission." Mosquito-borne diseases are responsible for more than one million deaths worldwide every year and Zika has become a concern for athletes at this year's Olympic Games, which open in Rio de Janeiro on Friday. Some athletes, including the top four ranked male golfers, have declined to take part. An outbreak of the Zika virus in Brazil last year has spread through the Americas and beyond, with China confirming its first case in February. US health officials have concluded that Zika infections in pregnant women can cause microcephaly, a birth defect marked by small head size that can lead to severe developmental problems in babies. The World Health Organization has said there is strong scientific consensus that Zika can also cause Guillain-Barre, a rare neurological syndrome that causes temporary paralysis in adults. Sun Yat-sen's Xi said that several countries had expressed interest in his experiments, especially Brazil and Mexico. In the laboratory, mosquito eggs are collected from breeding cages containing 5,000 females and 1,600 males and injected with the wolbachia bacteria. Xi's facility has the capacity to breed up to five million mosquitoes a week. While a female mosquito that acquires wolbachia by mating is sterile, one that is infected by injection will produce wolbachia-infected offspring. Dengue, yellow fever and Zika are also suppressed in wolbachia-injected females, making it harder for the diseases to be transmitted to humans. Xi set up his 3,500 square metre (38,000 square feet) "mosquito factory" in 2012 and releases the males into two residential areas on the outskirts of Guangzhou. Xi said the mosquito population on the island has been reduced by more than 90 per cent. One villager on the island, 66 year-old Liang Jintian, who has lived there for six decades, said the study was so effective he didn't have to sleep with a mosquito net any longer. "We used to have a lot of mosquitoes in the past. Back then some people were worried that if mosquitoes were released here, we would get even more mosquitoes," he said. "We have a lot less mosquitoes now compared to the past." (Reuters)

China: Scientists release 3 million bacteria-infected mosquitoes to combat Zika, other diseases

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
One in three Americans will suffer type 2 diabetes by 2050. These superfoods can save us <a href="https://t.co/S3aVNdDsUw">https://t.co/S3aVNdDsUw</a>
&mdash; Salon.com (@Salon) <a href="https://twitter.com/Salon/status/736464526636371968">May 28, 2016</a></blockquote>

<script async src="~/platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script>Drugmakers are renewing efforts to develop medicines to fight emerging antibiotic-resistant bacteria, but creating new classes of drugs on the scale needed is unlikely to happen without new financial incentives to make the effort worth the investment, companies and industry experts said. 
 
 
dna &rlm;@dna 3m3 minutes ago WHO rejects call for Olympics to moved due to #ZikaVirus

American military researchers on Thursday announced the first U.S. case of a patient with an infection found to be resistant to the antibiotic colistin, the drug often held in reserve for when all else fails.

That put a spotlight on the urgent need for new medicines that can combat what health officials have called &quot;nightmare bacteria.&quot;

Drugmakers on Friday acknowledged that in the absence of a new way of compensating them, it simply does not make economic sense to pour serious resources into work on new antibiotics.

&quot;The return on investment based on the current commercial model is not really commensurate with the amount of effort you have to put into it,&quot; said David Payne, who heads GlaxoSmithKline PLC&#39;s (<a href="http://www.reuters.com/finance/stocks/overview?symbol=GSK.L">GSK.L</a>) antibiotics drug group.

Other pharmaceutical companies expressed a similar sentiment.

In January, some 80 drugmakers and diagnostics companies, including Pfizer Inc (<a href="http://www.reuters.com/finance/stocks/overview?symbol=PFE.N">PFE.N</a>), Merck &amp; Co (<a href="http://www.reuters.com/finance/stocks/overview?symbol=MRK.N">MRK.N</a>), Johnson &amp; Johnson (<a href="http://www.reuters.com/finance/stocks/overview?symbol=JNJ.N">JNJ.N</a>) and Glaxo, signed a declaration calling for cooperation among governments and companies to create incentives to revitalize research and development of new antibiotics.

It proposed a new business model in which profit would not be linked to higher sales. For example, governments and health organizations could offer lump-sum rewards for development of a successful new antibiotic. A British government panel suggested this month that drug companies be offered up to $1.5 billion for successful development of a new antibiotic.

In the United States alone, antibiotic-resistant bacteria causes 2 million serious infections and 23,000 deaths annually, according to U.S. health officials.

<div class="row">
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<h5>Drug companies can&#39;t make an economic case for investing in superbug drugs</h5>
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<div class="col-sm-1 blockquote-content">
<div class="share-blockquote"><a an="" case="" class="twitter popup" drugs="" economic="" for="" href="http://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Drug companies can" in="" investing="" make="" superbug="" t="">&nbsp;</a></div>
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Unrestrained overuse of current antibiotics by doctors and hospitals, often when they are not needed, and widespread antibiotic use in food livestock have contributed to the evolution of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

But in recent years, major drugmakers have poured most of their research dollars into highly profitable medicines to fight cancer, rare diseases and hepatitis C. These drugs not only command high prices, they also are typically used far longer than antibiotics.

And the companies, which have come under intense criticism in recent months for continually raising prices on popular drugs, say it costs about as much to develop a new antibiotic as it does to bring to market new cancer drugs that can command more than $100,000 a year per patient.

&quot;Drug companies can&#39;t make an economic case for investing in superbug drugs,&quot; said Erik Gordon, a professor at the University of Michigan&#39;s Ross School of Business.

Gordon said governments and foundations need to get more involved in research and funding to spearhead efforts to combat the problem.

To critics who argue that U.S. companies have enormous cash reserves that could be used to address a public health crisis, drugmakers say they have a fiduciary duty to shareholders to maximize profits.

&nbsp;

ON THE R&amp;D FRONT LINES

One reason companies are calling for alternative compensation is that aggressive sales and use of new antibiotics could help create ever more dangerous bacteria that develop resistance to the new medicines.

Glaxo and Merck are among the large pharmaceutical companies developing new antibiotics they hope can beat back resistant bugs, while Pfizer is working on vaccines aimed at reducing the need for their use.

Industry experts said small, lesser-known companies with promising approaches to tackling resistant superbugs included: Entasis Therapeutics, an AstraZeneca PLC spinoff, Tetraphase Pharmaceuticals Inc (<a href="http://www.reuters.com/finance/stocks/overview?symbol=TTPH.O">TTPH.O</a>); and Achaogen Inc (<a href="http://www.reuters.com/finance/stocks/overview?symbol=AKAO.O">AKAO.O</a>).

&quot;We believe plazomicin, our lead drug in late-stage development, has the potential to play an important role in treating this dreaded superbug,&quot; Achaogen Chief Executive Kenneth Hillan said.

Allan Coukell, an antibiotics expert at the Pew Charitable Trusts nonprofit research and policy organization, said what is needed is a wave of new drugs based on new chemistry or that work in new ways.

&quot;Most of what&#39;s being developed are variations on drugs that we&#39;ve had for decades,&quot; Coukell said.

Pew has outlined what its calls a scientific roadmap to create a body of work around new drug discovery that companies and academic researchers could draw upon to help jumpstart the process of finding new antibiotics.

Glaxo said its experimental antibiotic gepotidacin, in midstage testing, belongs to an entirely new class of antibacterials.

&quot;Based on that, we&#39;re predicting it would work against infections that could be caused by bacteria that are resistant to available antibiotics,&quot; Payne said.

Other companies with late-stage studies underway for antibiotics include: Cempra Inc (<a href="http://www.reuters.com/finance/stocks/overview?symbol=CEMP.O">CEMP.O</a>), whose drug was recently validated in a Japanese trial; Medicines Co (<a href="http://www.reuters.com/finance/stocks/overview?symbol=MDCO.O">MDCO.O</a>); and Paratek Pharmaceuticals Inc (<a href="http://www.reuters.com/finance/stocks/overview?symbol=PRTK.O">PRTK.O</a>). J&amp;J is also putting money into battling antibiotic resistance.

&quot;If there is a bright side, it is that the world policymakers and health leaders have focused on this issue like never before,&quot; Coukell said. &quot;But we&#39;ve got a long way to go.&quot;

&nbsp;

(Reporting by Bill Berkrot, Caroline Humer and Ransdell Pierson in New York and Natalie Grover and Amrutha Penumundi in Bangaluru; Editing by Eric Effron and Will Dunham)

Major drug companies seek enormous government subsidy to combat fatal bacteria they helped create

One in three Americans will suffer type 2 diabetes by 2050. These superfoods can save us https://t.co/S3aVNdDsUw — Salon.com (@Salon) May 28, 2016 Drugmakers are renewing efforts to develop medicines to fight emerging antibiotic-resistant bacteria, but creating new classes of drugs on the scale needed is unlikely to happen without new financial incentives to make the effort worth the investment, companies and industry experts said. dna ‏@dna 3m3 minutes ago WHO rejects call for Olympics to moved due to #ZikaVirus American military researchers on Thursday announced the first U.S. case of a patient with an infection found to be resistant to the antibiotic colistin, the drug often held in reserve for when all else fails. That put a spotlight on the urgent need for new medicines that can combat what health officials have called "nightmare bacteria." Drugmakers on Friday acknowledged that in the absence of a new way of compensating them, it simply does not make economic sense to pour serious resources into work on new antibiotics. "The return on investment based on the current commercial model is not really commensurate with the amount of effort you have to put into it," said David Payne, who heads GlaxoSmithKline PLC's (GSK.L) antibiotics drug group. Other pharmaceutical companies expressed a similar sentiment. In January, some 80 drugmakers and diagnostics companies, including Pfizer Inc (PFE.N), Merck & Co (MRK.N), Johnson & Johnson (JNJ.N) and Glaxo, signed a declaration calling for cooperation among governments and companies to create incentives to revitalize research and development of new antibiotics. It proposed a new business model in which profit would not be linked to higher sales. For example, governments and health organizations could offer lump-sum rewards for development of a successful new antibiotic. A British government panel suggested this month that drug companies be offered up to $1.5 billion for successful development of a new antibiotic. In the United States alone, antibiotic-resistant bacteria causes 2 million serious infections and 23,000 deaths annually, according to U.S. health officials. Drug companies can't make an economic case for investing in superbug drugs Unrestrained overuse of current antibiotics by doctors and hospitals, often when they are not needed, and widespread antibiotic use in food livestock have contributed to the evolution of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. But in recent years, major drugmakers have poured most of their research dollars into highly profitable medicines to fight cancer, rare diseases and hepatitis C. These drugs not only command high prices, they also are typically used far longer than antibiotics. And the companies, which have come under intense criticism in recent months for continually raising prices on popular drugs, say it costs about as much to develop a new antibiotic as it does to bring to market new cancer drugs that can command more than $100,000 a year per patient. "Drug companies can't make an economic case for investing in superbug drugs," said Erik Gordon, a professor at the University of Michigan's Ross School of Business. Gordon said governments and foundations need to get more involved in research and funding to spearhead efforts to combat the problem. To critics who argue that U.S. companies have enormous cash reserves that could be used to address a public health crisis, drugmakers say they have a fiduciary duty to shareholders to maximize profits. ON THE R&D FRONT LINES One reason companies are calling for alternative compensation is that aggressive sales and use of new antibiotics could help create ever more dangerous bacteria that develop resistance to the new medicines. Glaxo and Merck are among the large pharmaceutical companies developing new antibiotics they hope can beat back resistant bugs, while Pfizer is working on vaccines aimed at reducing the need for their use. Industry experts said small, lesser-known companies with promising approaches to tackling resistant superbugs included: Entasis Therapeutics, an AstraZeneca PLC spinoff, Tetraphase Pharmaceuticals Inc (TTPH.O); and Achaogen Inc (AKAO.O). "We believe plazomicin, our lead drug in late-stage development, has the potential to play an important role in treating this dreaded superbug," Achaogen Chief Executive Kenneth Hillan said. Allan Coukell, an antibiotics expert at the Pew Charitable Trusts nonprofit research and policy organization, said what is needed is a wave of new drugs based on new chemistry or that work in new ways. "Most of what's being developed are variations on drugs that we've had for decades," Coukell said. Pew has outlined what its calls a scientific roadmap to create a body of work around new drug discovery that companies and academic researchers could draw upon to help jumpstart the process of finding new antibiotics. Glaxo said its experimental antibiotic gepotidacin, in midstage testing, belongs to an entirely new class of antibacterials. "Based on that, we're predicting it would work against infections that could be caused by bacteria that are resistant to available antibiotics," Payne said. Other companies with late-stage studies underway for antibiotics include: Cempra Inc (CEMP.O), whose drug was recently validated in a Japanese trial; Medicines Co (MDCO.O); and Paratek Pharmaceuticals Inc (PRTK.O). J&J is also putting money into battling antibiotic resistance. "If there is a bright side, it is that the world policymakers and health leaders have focused on this issue like never before," Coukell said. "But we've got a long way to go." (Reporting by Bill Berkrot, Caroline Humer and Ransdell Pierson in New York and Natalie Grover and Amrutha Penumundi in Bangaluru; Editing by Eric Effron and Will Dunham)

Major drug companies claim it doesn't make economic sense to fight nightmare bacteria

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