It began quietly, tucked away in the immune systems of a few dozen people scattered across the globe. They weren't superheroes. They didn't wear capes. But they carried something extraordinary, an invisible shield against every virus nature could throw at them. No flu. No measles. No chickenpox.…| New Atlas
In a recent experiment that sounds more sci-fi than science class, researchers have successfully developed a novel vaccine platform that uses ordinary dental floss embedded with tiny dissolvable microneedles. The study, published in Nature Biomedical Engineering, showcases how everyday materials…| New Atlas
One of the most dangerous microorganisms on Earth, Naegleria fowleri has a well-earned nickname as the "brain-eating amoeba," because of the almost 100% fatal infection it causes. And it's now been found swimming around in the treated drinking water supplied to two towns in Australia.| New Atlas
A novel way to prevent the spread of malaria – a potentially life-threatening disease transmitted through bites from mosquitoes infected by a parasite – could soon be realized, thanks to scientists at The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research (WEHI) in Australia.| New Atlas
The preserved lung of an 18-year-old Swiss man has been used to create the full genome of the 1918 "Spanish flu," the first complete influenza A genome with a precise date from Europe. It offers new insights into the deadly pandemic that claimed the lives of up to 100 million people.| New Atlas
Black cats may be considered bad luck in many Western societies, however, one such sooty feline has brought good fortune to a team of scientists, playing a pivotal role in discovering a new virus capable of infecting humans. It's now the second novel pathogen Pepper has hunted down.| New Atlas
Humans have been getting infected by ancient bacteria and viruses for at least 37,000 years. Now, for the first time, pathogen DNA has uncovered a pivotal disease "turning point" that happened 6,500 years ago, during which our biology and society created a perfect storm that would forever change…| New Atlas
As unspent antibiotics pass from our bodies into the environment, they contribute to the development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Scientists are addressing this problem with a new technology which causes such drugs to only become active upon exposure to green light.| New Atlas
It's never a good thing when harmful bacteria are present on surfaces in hospitals, as they can cause life-threatening infections in already immunocompromised patients. A new paint could help keep that from happening, by quickly killing any microbes that land on it.| New Atlas
A three-year study has found robust evidence that one particular vaccine for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) offers older adults long-term protection against the infection, even if efficacy wanes from season to season. Despite this, just a single dose cut serious illness by nearly two thirds, and…| New Atlas
We all know that a healthy, balanced diet dominated by unprocessed foods is a recipe for gut and overall health, but scientists have now found just how one nutrient – fiber – can trigger a microbiotic chain reaction that actually shields the body from influenza and other viruses.| New Atlas
Two months shy of the fifth anniversary of COVID-19 being declared a global pandemic, the US has recorded its first human death as a result of avian influenza H5N1 infection. The unidentified Louisiana man contracted the virus through contact with infected wild and domestic birds on his property in…| New Atlas
