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microbiology

Life

The microbes that give cheddar cheese its distinct flavour

Cheddar cheese's distinct but often subtle flavour comes down to interactions between different bacteria, which cheese-makers could utilise to create a specific taste

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Life

The cannabis of the future might not come from plants

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Cannabis leaf

Life

Vegan cheese made from fermented peas could taste more like dairy

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human sperms

Physics

Sperm caught breaking Newton's third law of motion

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CX3N7J View down Paul Revere Mall to the Old North Church on the Freedom Trail, North End, Boston, Massachusetts, USA

Environment

The trees in our cities are dying — a sick microbiome may be to blame

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T-bacteriophages on E.coli. Coloured Transmission Electron Micrograph (TEM) of T-bacteriophage viruses attacking a bacterial cell of Escherichia coli. Seven virus particles are seen (blue), each with a head and a tail. Four of these are "sitting" on the brown bacterial cell and small blue "tails" of genetic material (DNA) are seen being injected into the bacterium. T-bacterio- phages are parasites of bacterial cells. The virus attaches itself to the cell's wall and, using it's tail as a syringe, injects it's own DNA into the bacterium. The virus DNA then takes over the bacterial cell, forcing it to produce more viruses. Magnification: x63,000 at 5x7cm size.

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The Good Virus review: Could viruses cure deadly infections?

Culture

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Tumour-dwelling microbes: A startling new frontier in cancer treatment

Health

Tumour-dwelling microbes: A startling new frontier in cancer treatment

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Bacteria could help reduce the amount of fertiliser used to grow corn

Environment

Nitrogen-producing bacteria slash fertiliser use on farms

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Trichodesmium thiebautii (light micrograph) Trichodesmium thiebautii is a cyanobacterium, or blue-green alga, that forms colonies of cells. In high concentrations, they create golden-brown surface mats, often referred to ?sea sawdust,? in the Gulf of Mexico. These large concentrations, called blooms, are sometimes associated with fish kills and can cause dermatitis or ?swimmer?s itch? when handled or contacted. When blooms die and decay, they can discolor the water pink to red. Toxin production by this species is being investigated. https://www.flickr.com/photos/myfwc/8678780050

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Ocean-fertilising bacteria work together to adapt to light levels

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Botulism or Clostridium botulinum bacterium 3d illustration

Health

We now know how Botox enters neurons and paralyses muscles

Molecular imaging shows that botulinum neurotoxin uses three receptors to enter neurons. The finding could help develop drugs to stop the toxin from infecting cells

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Modern urban wastewater treatment plant

Environment

Toxic PFAS can be broken down by bacteria found in wastewater

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Life

Ancient bacteria genome reconstructed from Neanderthal tooth gunk

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First beauty products made with synthetic palm oil go on sale

Environment

First beauty products made with synthetic palm oil go on sale

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An old log floating among yellow autumn leaves in a pond

Health

We now know why some poos float and others sink

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