Coronavirus: only one of the many thousands of deadly diseases
The coronavirus has infected more than 70,000 people in China and cases have appeared in 26 other countries. Media outlets across the globe are preoccupied with the outbreak, and panic…
Study finds potential link between Alzheimer’s disease and gum disease
A landmark study published in Science Advances has found evidence suggesting that the bacterium responsible for gum disease, called Porphyromonas gingivalis, may play a role in the development of Alzheimer’s…
The spooky science behind Halloween’s most iconic monsters
Halloween is fast approaching, and the majority of the student population start to look forward to costumes, pumpkins, and drinking opportunities. Rather than writing about the science of alcohol poisoning…
The naked truth about mole-rats
Recent work suggests that naked mole-rats are highly durable, resistant to many diseases, and seemingly live without ageing. The naked mole-rat has stood out to scientists for some time,…
The suicide swarm: mosquitoes to halt the spread of disease
Mosquitoes are an annoying, if mostly harmless, summer threat in the UK and Europe. However, they are a major disease carrier in other parts of the world, spreading Dengue fever…
A vaccine for the Zika virus
A new approach, published in Nature, outlines a vaccine that is successful at protecting mice and rhesus macaques from Zika virus. The vaccine is based on delivering viral mRNA to…
Yaws, the second disease in the world to be eradicated?
Dr. Oriol Mitja is a young Spanish doctor who, after graduating from the Barcelona Institute of Global Heath and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and following some…