lurking

In February 2023, the CDC warned against using EzriCare eye drops due to links with drug-resistant bacterial infections causing vision loss and even death. An interdisciplinary group of researchers and physicians in Cleveland, Ohio, have now published a case study from November 2022, detailing a 72-year-old female patient’s corneal ulcer caused by the bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The patient’s contaminated eye drops were identified as the source of the infection, which was treated with strong antibiotics. Since the…

By European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases April 17, 2023A Spanish study found 40% of supermarket meat samples contained multidrug-resistant E. coli strains, highlighting the need for regular assessments of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in meat products and emphasizing farm-to-fork interventions and proper food handling practices to reduce risks.“Superbugs” present in chicken, turkey, beef and pork, Spanish study finds.Multidrug-resistant E. coli were found in 40% of supermarket meat samples…

The location of the first two black holes discovered by ESA’s Gaia mission in the Milky Way. This map of our galaxy was also made by the Gaia mission. Gaia Black Hole 1 is located just 1560 light-years away from us in the direction of the constellation Ophiuchus and Gaia Black Hole 2 is 3800 light-years away in the constellation Centaurus. In galactic terms, these black holes reside in our cosmic backyard. Credit: ESA/Gaia/DPAC; CC BY-SA 3.0 IGOESA’s Gaia mission has helped discover a new kind of <span…

In 2013, a monstrous marine heatwave known as 'The Blob' developed off the coast of Alaska and soon stretched as far south as Mexico along the Pacific coast of North America.It lingered far longer than anyone expected, decimating fisheries, triggering toxic algal blooms, disturbing kelp forests, and starving sea birds of food.At one point, a buoy bobbing atop the ocean near Oregon detected frightening jumps in temperature of up to seven degrees Celsius in less than an hour. The ocean was sweltering.But scientists, with…

The findings could improve the early detection of depression.A recent study has discovered that changes in our brain patterns, which shape our trust behavior, can serve as an early warning sign for depression, even before symptoms become noticeable. Just like how unusual behavior from our devices can indicate the presence of malware, changes in our trust behavior can alert us to the possibility of depression sneaking up on us.Brain scans showed a correlation between shrunken gray matter volumes in the “social brain”…

Image: Chanawat Jaiya (Shutterstock)The infection: Leptospirosis, caused by various members of Leptospira bacteria.Symptoms and treatment: It can initially cause high fever, chills, muscle aches, and jaundice (yellowed skin and eyes). Sometimes, people can recover and later experience a worse and more life-threatening second phase of illness, one that can severely damage the liver, kidneys, and brain. The second phase is more common when the infection goes untreated with antibiotics. Threat potential: The bacteria is…

Image: Getty/EDUARD MUZHEVSKYI /SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARYArtificial Intelligence (AI) and machine-learning experts are warning against the risk of data-poisoning attacks that can work against the large-scale datasets commonly used to train the deep-learning models in many AI services.Data poisoning occurs when attackers tamper with the training data used to create deep-learning models. This action means it's possible to affect the decisions that the AI makes in a way that is hard to track. Also: These experts are racing…

Our Solar System is a pretty busy place. There are millions of objects moving around – everything from planets, to moons, to comets, and asteroids. And each year we're discovering more and more objects (usually small asteroids or speedy comets) that call the Solar System home.Astronomers had found all eight of the main planets by 1846. But that doesn't stop us from looking for more. In the past 100 years, we've found smaller distant bodies we call dwarf planets, which is what we now classify Pluto as.The discovery of…

Before its gaggles of fungus-infected, flesh-eating berserkers burst their way onto the screen, HBO’s The Last of Us could be easily mistaken for a number of other apocalyptic zombie shows about survivors fighting for their lives. Because it holds up so well as a series, it might not be obvious to viewers unfamiliar with The Last of Us’ origins how Joel, Ellie, and the story of the cordyceps pandemic all began as parts of a blockbuster video game. Between being so faithful to the game’s story and adding new depth to its…

New research reveals how microorganisms found in our guts can worsen dangerous C. difficile infections.Scientists reveal how gut bacteria put people at risk for severe C. difficile infections.Microorganisms found in our guts can worsen dangerous C. difficile infections according to new research from the University of Virginia (UVA) School of Medicine and collaborators. The discovery could help doctors identify patients at risk for severe illness and open the door to new treatments.C. difficile is a bacterium that can…