Have you ever wondered what secrets artworks might hold beyond their visible beauty? Researchers delved into this mystery by examining biological material found on artworks. The main goal? To create a guideline for curating, preserving, and restoring these pieces without causing damage. The key to this exploration is using the right sampling techniques. Imagine you'r...

Fire blight, a nasty bacterial disease that affects plants like apples and pears, is caused by a germ called Erwinia amylovora. This disease spreads fast and can kill the plants it infects. Korea first spotted this bacteria in 2015, and since then, it's been spreading across the country. Scientists already knew that five Korean strains of this bacterium were closely ...

In China, microcystin LR (MC-LR) pollution is a big problem for both aquatic life and human health. Scientists found a special bacterium, Alcaligenes faecalis D04, that can break down MC-LR without needing oxygen. This bug was discovered in water and can deal with these toxins at a rate of 0. 303 micrograms per milliliter per day. The team looked at how this bacteri...

Have you heard about Buruli ulcer? It's a nasty skin infection caused by a bacterium called Mycobacterium ulcerans. Recently, two people in Batemans Bay, New South Wales, picked up this infection locally. This is a big deal because Batemans Bay is only the second place in the state where people have likely gotten Buruli ulcer from their own environment. Scientists t...

Lake Mattamuskeet, the largest lake in North Carolina, has been dealing with a long-term problem called eutrophication. This process has made the water quality worse and created a perfect environment for harmful cyanobacteria to thrive. Scientists have been concerned about these blooms because some types of cyanobacteria can produce nasty toxins. To understand this s...