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It’s Antibiotic Awareness Week in case you didn’t know. Even with increased awareness, the world is still on the cusp of an antibiotic resistance disaster. A new annual report from the European Center for Disease Control indicates that things may not be getting better but they also aren’t getting worse. “In 2018, the average total consumption (community and hospital sector combined) of antibacterials for systemic use (ATC group J01) in the EU/EEA was 20.1 DDD per 1 000 inhabitants per day (country range: 9.7–34.0). During the period 2009–2018, no statistically significant change was observed for the EU/EEA overall. However, statistically significant decreasing trends were observed for 11 countries. Statistically significant increasing trends were observed for four countries.” So how do you see your glass? http://bit.ly/2QAbFHW
Conservationists saved a beautiful butterfly from extinction but it can only be found on a military base. Does that count as a W? http://bit.ly/2qtkMzl
A recent study indicates that certain diets can have protective effects against the fly. As per The Scientist, “Mice fed a ketogenic diet—in which 90 percent of calories come from fat and less than 1 percent from carbohydrates—were less susceptible to the influenza A virus, according to a study published today (November 15) in Science Immunology.” Needless to say, keto-freaks will be insufferable after the news. Great. http://bit.ly/2s2LBel
The Hubble Telescope is just the gift that never stops doing its thing. This time, scientists have observed plumes of water vapor emanating from one of Jupiter’s moons. As per Space.com, “The researchers observed Europa for 17 nights, from February 2016 through May 2017. On one of those nights — April 26, 2016 — they got a strong signal of water vapor, in the form of a characteristic wavelength of emitted infrared light.” http://bit.ly/2r4P6jV
Bacteria really are a complicated bunch. First we see them as causes of disease and illness. Then they’re important parts of living organisms’ machinery in the form of microbiota. Then they’re responsible for great things like cheese. Now, they may have been the driving force behind plants’ colonization of the Earth’s surface millions of years ago. Amazing. https://nyti.ms/2D2P2Uc
IMAGE SOURCE: Creative Commons