News & Press Releases

New Bacterial Toxins Discovered: A Key to Fighting Infections

New Bacterial Toxins Discovered: A Key to Fighting Infections

20 October, 2024

Researchers have discovered a new group of bacterial toxins that can kill harmful bacteria and fungi, opening the door to potential new treatments for infections. These toxins, found in over 100,000 microbial genomes, can destroy the cells of bacteria and fungi without harming other organisms. The study revealed how some bacteria use these toxins to compete with other microbes, and the findings could lead to new ways to fight infections, especially as antibiotic resistance becomes a growing concern.


 

X-Raying Your Head Every Year at the Dentist Might Be Totally Unnecessary

X-Raying Your Head Every Year at the Dentist Might Be Totally Unnecessary

15 October, 2024

Some dentists are pushing back against the overuse of X-rays, a practice that can expose patients to unnecessary radiation and cost them extra cash.


If you’ve ever sat in a dentist’s chair, weighed down by an unwieldy, yet oddly comfortable, lead apron, wondering if your sense of time has gone completely haywire—wait, wasn’t I just here, and isn’t it too soon for more X-rays?—take comfort. You may be entirely correct.

 

Disappointment, Not Hatred is Driving Polarization in the States

Disappointment, Not Hatred is Driving Polarization in the States

10 October, 2024

A new study challenges the prevailing assumption that hatred predominantly underlies affective polarization between ideological groups. The research suggests that disappointment, with its complex mix of positive and negative experiences of the outgroup, better explains the dynamics of intergroup relations. The study highlights the need for a broader exploration of emotions in political conflicts to foster social cohesion.


 

High-Dimensional Photonics Accelerates Quantum Computing

High-Dimensional Photonics Accelerates Quantum Computing

9 October, 2024

A new study has made significant progress in quantum computing through photonic-measurement-based quantum computation. Their innovative method uses high-dimensional spatial encoding to create large cluster states more efficiently, addressing key challenges in scalability and computation speed. This paves the way for faster, resource-efficient, and fault-tolerant quantum computers.