Outside the mountain town of Sabiñánigo in northern Spain, an abandoned chemical factory stands on land still scarred by decades of Lindane production – a pesticide now banned worldwide – which left behind thousands of tonnes of toxic waste. Production ended in the 1980s, but the pesticide’s main by-product, hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH), continues to
ph. Helena Nechaeva/Shutterstock Frances Spragge, University of Oxford and Erik Bakkeren, University of Oxford In the last decade, it has become increasingly clear that a gut full of friendly microbes (the microbiome) is vital for our good health. It has also become clear that a healthy microbiome is one with a diverse population
A Journey Through the Hidden Universe of Microorganisms and Their Impact on Our Lives Our world is teeming with life beyond the realm of human perception: a microscopic universe populated by millions of diverse species that have an immense impact on our lives and the planet we inhabit. This article delves into the
Working with dangerous viruses sounds like trouble – but here’s what scientists learn from studying pathogens in secure labs Jerry Malayer, Oklahoma State University There are about 1,400 known human pathogens – viruses, bacteria, fungi, protozoa and helminths that can cause a person’s injury or death. But in a world with a trillion