Superbugs evolve defenses against medication, then share them with neighbors

Bacteria rapidly evolve (and share) new defenses against drugs they encounter

Unlike humans, bacteria rapidly make genetic changes in response to their environment, including creating defense against antibiotics. Furthermore, these defenses are passed on to their future generations and can even be shared with neighboring bacteria through horizontal gene transfer.

Superbugs are bacteria and pathogens that rapidly evolve defenses against medication

Superbugs, or antibiotic-resistant bacteria, infect millions and pose a threat to global health. Developing new antibiotics is costly, offers limited profits, and struggles to outpace bacteria’s rapid evolution.

Resistant infections are no longer isolated and can spread worldwide

What does the rise of antibiotic resistance mean in practical terms? Maryn McKenna is a journalist at the forefront of covering antibiotic resistance since 2007. In this TED talk, McKenna lays out the very real consequences of antibiotic resistance—and what needs to be done to address the problem.

Overuse of antibiotics gives bacteria more opportunity to evolve their defenses

The overuse and misuse of antibiotics are significant contributors to the rise of antibiotic resistant bacteria. Experts say antibiotics should only be used for specific medical problems, and patients need to be sure to take antibiotics exactly as prescribed in order to reduce the risk of antibiotic resistance.

Tips for reducing the risk of antimicrobial resistance

Antimicrobial resistance is bad news. But there are lots of things you can do to both protect yourself from superbugs and help keep the problem of antimicrobial resistance from getting worse. This page from the CDC offers clear, straightforward guidelines that can help keep you—and your loved ones—healthy.

COVID accelerated antibiotic resistance

The COVID-19 pandemic was caused by a virus, and viruses can’t be treated with antibiotics. But recent research finds that COVID patients were given a tremendous amount of antibiotics, contributing to the problem of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Why? This NPR feature sheds light on an unexpected side effect of the pandemic.

Penicillin’s discoverer predicted antibiotic resistance

Alexander Fleming’s discovery of penicillin revolutionized modern medicine. But the same man who pioneered the development of antibiotics also recognized that bacteria could make sntibiotics obsolete if they were used irresponsibly. This story sheds light on Fleming’s discovery—and on his prophetic warning about antibiotic resistance.

Bacteria use chemical signals to communicate and coordinate with one another

Through a system called quorum sensing, bacteria produce and absorb compounds from their environment to identify allies or competitors and adjust their behavior accordingly. Some bacteria produce food-digesting enzymes only in the presence of similar bacteria, thereby preventing competitors from consuming their meal.

A quick video on how your immune system works

Explore how your immune system’s vast network of cells, tissues, and organs coordinate your body’s defenses against bacteria, viruses and toxins with this 5-minute TED talk video.

Explore the history of antibiotics with 'This Podcast Will Kill You'

The show blends medical history with storytelling and science. In Episode 50, the hosts trace the dramatic origins of antibiotics—from Fleming’s moldy petri dish to Florey’s wartime labs—and explore their lasting impact on health.

Mapping the spread of a dangerous fungus growing in US healthcare facilities

Explore the data showing how the fungus C. auris has spread in the US, with more than 10,000 reported cases since 2016. Recommended steps to prevent infections and limit their spread have been successful in some areas, but infection control remains complicated because the fungus is often now multidrug-resistant.

Major genetic shifts in flu viruses can spark global pandemics

Antigenic shift happens when two different influenza viruses infect the same host and swap genetic material. The result is a brand-new subtype of influenza which, if easily spread among people, can trigger a worldwide pandemic.

Synthetic biology can prevent extinction by creating create disease-resilient plants and animals

Through gene editing and the deployment of artificial cells, scientists can leverage learnings from the genetic sequencing of animals with known resistances to protect endangered species. Gene editing of certain species, such as mosquitoes, can also reduce their ability to spread diseases like malaria between humans.

See how cholera spreads in a community

This animated video offers a comprehensive look at how cholera spreads. It makes clear why it's so difficult to stamp out this disease in communities around the world. It also details what steps can help control cholera.

Watch how viruses like Ebola can spill over from animals to humans—and vice-versa.

How bedbugs have evolved immunity against pesticides

Bedbugs, once nearly eradicated in the United States due to the use of pesticides like DDT, have made a resurgence, with New York being declared the most bedbug-infested city. The primary reason for the return is the evolution of resistance in...

Watch how viruses like Ebola can spill over from animals to humans—and vice-versa

More than 70% of all new infectious diseases originate in animals. Referred to as zoonotic diseases, these are diseases that originate in animals and occasionally spill over or jump from animals to humans. Bats, mosquitoes, and primates have all been linked to spillover events. As human populations push further into previously uninhabited wilderness, animal-human contact increases, and disease spillover is inevitable.

Visualize how CRISPR-Cas9—a type of immune system used by single-celled organisms to attack invasive viruses—targets and makes precise changes to a gene's DNA.

An overview on germ theory, the crucial framework developed by Louis Pasteur

Germ theory of disease is based on the concept that many diseases are caused by infections with microorganisms, typically only visualized under high magnification. Read this general overview to understand the basic framework which allowed for development of vaccines.

Modern conveniences may be contributing to allergy increases

A combination of genetics and how the environment changes our genes are likely contributing to the rise in allergies. But daily conveniences, such as dishwashers and packaged baby food, also change the level of bacterial exposures in early life, with potential implications for allergy development, experts from Mount Sinai Health System state in this video discussion.

Watch Cordyceps, a parasitic fungus, turn an ant into a ‘zombie’

This National Geographic TV clip shows how a parasitic Cordyceps species—sometimes colloquially called the “zombie ant fungus”—controls an ant’s behavior and kills its host. The fungus can rapidly wipe out entire insect colonies.

Some dementia cases may be linked to microorganisms in the brain

Researchers now know that, much like the gut, the brain is home to an ecosystem of microorganisms—the brain microbiome. While this area of study is still new, some scientists believe 50% of bacteria-caused dementia cases could be treated. (Some users may encounter a paywall.)

Leprosy bacteria replicate extremely slowly—only once every two weeks

Mycobacterium leprae has a long incubation period and a very slow replication rate, taking roughly 12 to 14 days to make a copy of itself and divide. In contrast, bacteria like E. coli can replicate in about 20 minutes in ideal conditions. Someone can be infected for years without experiencing any symptoms. This also makes the disease difficult to treat. This video describes the knowns—and unknowns—about this infectious bacterium.

Learn how monoclonal antibodies, which mimic the body's antibodies, can fight diseases like Ebola.

Explaining CRISPR at five levels of technical detail

CRISPR is a new area of biomedical science that enables gene editing and could be the key to eventually curing diseases like autism or cancer. WIRED challenges biologist Neville Sanjana to explain this concept to 5 different people; a 7-year-old, a 14-year-old, a college student, a grad student and a CRISPR expert.

How the environmental diversity of coral reefs provides potential medical treatments for humans

As immobile animals, corals and the organisms that live on them have evolved a suite of chemical compounds to prevent disease and ward off predators they cannot outrun. These include antibiotics, antivirals, and powerful toxins that target the nervous system and are studied for applications involving pain management and neurological treatments.

Learn how environmental conditions are optimized to increase bioremediation efficacy

Through biostimulation, Indigenous microbes are provided with moisture, nutrients, or oxygen to prevent their death and ensure optimal progression of their biochemical reactions. Bioaugmentation can introduce new microbial cultures to target specific compounds not natively found in the environment, while landfarming can spread or aerate contaminated soil to improve access to contaminants.

Fear (and stress) can be contagious via pheromones secreted by the body

While seeing someone else in a panicked state may induce a stress response, researchers have found stress can be literally contagious—chemicals contained in sweat and other secretions can trigger stress hormone release in others. Theories suggest this feature is an evolutionary adaptation to protect groups from danger.

Larger animals like giraffes, elephants, and blue whales have developed a unique defense against cancer, a phenomenon known as Peto's Paradox

Indefinite cloning of some endangered species may not sustain their longevity because cloning success rates decrease as genetic mutations accumulate.

Tattoos remain visible on your skin thanks to immune cells called macrophages

Listen to an in-depth conversation on the links between Parkinson's disease and herbicide exposure and the challenging pace of scientific investigation.

Hookworm infection, though risky, may help fight certain autoimmune conditions by tamping down the immune system's inflammatory response.

Read a deep dive on the 'all-purpose healing' peptide BPC-157.

Coral reefs get their colors from zooxanthellae—microorganisms that line corals' digestive tracts and provide them with sugars in exchange for a home within this protective tissue.

See how each of the more than two million known species relates to each other—and to common ancestors—in this zoomable tree of life.

While atoms are normally made of protons, neutrons, and electrons, exotic ones have been built with antimatter—alternate versions of normal matter that live for fractions of a second and are about a billion times as rare.

Budweiser stores yeast derived from the original 1800s strain in a secret bunker, which only the Head of Yeast Management can access—not even the CEO

Fear or disgust related to clusters of holes and cracks, called trypophobia, may stem from evolutionary processes to help us avoid pathogens.

Alzheimer's can lead to brain shrinkage, with an average of around 2% of volume reduction per year

Poison ivy was sent to Europe in the 1600s as an exotic, ornamental oddity, where it was purposefully grown in the English royal gardens at Kew, the Faculty of Medicine in Paris, and a few other locations.

The American cockroach is actually from Africa, an apparent hitchhiker aboard ships carrying enslaved people, with evidence suggesting the bug may have arrived in the New World as early as the 1600s.

As of 2025, the most cited papers in science include a review of graphene, methods to improve image recognition, streamlining electron density calculations, and optimizing protein studies.

Some renewable energy sources may weaken the resiliency of electric grids by removing outage buffers provided by coal- and natural gas-fired plants, which provide the system with more time to find a new power source if a plant goes down.

In 2019, a laptop loaded with six of the worst malware in history and described as 'an exhibit of historical weaponry' sold for $1.3M.

Learn more about the history of fireworks, which dates back to an accidental invention during an alchemist's quest for information about immortality.

Chaos theory—informally known as the butterfly effect—is the reason why weather forecasts are presented with probabilities rather than certainties.

US consumers collectively owe more than $1T to credit card companies—almost as much as they owe in auto loans.

Netflix profits when you're not watching, and its movies are designed that way—read a detail-rich critical essay exposing lesser-known Netflix takes

Massive 3D printers have been used to build homes by stacking layers of 'concrete toothpaste,' a fire-resistant material that effectively insulates against outside noise.