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The virus that causes cold sores can survive and remain infectious for several hours on food or food-related surfaces . It is generally accepted that the virus responsible for cold sores is transmitted via saliva or direct contact with the lesions it causes. However, there are other potential transmission routes, according to a study published by a team from Université Laval in the Journal of Applied Microbiology .

A better understanding of how bacteria acquire resistance to antibiotics is a key research issue in tackling the major public health problem of antibiotic resistance. The main mechanism by which these resistances are disseminated is called "DNA transfer by bacterial conjugation". Until now, this was thought to occur only between bacteria in direct contact with each other.

Delayed action on climate change is costing lives and livelihoods, with people exposed to dangerously high temperatures and predictions of a 4.7-fold increase in heat related deaths by mid-century, finds the latest Lancet Countdown report led by UCL researchers. The 2023 Report of the Lancet Countdown on Health and Climate Change delivers a concerning health stocktake, with new global projections revealing the grave and mounting threat to human health as a result of climate inaction.

Scientists from the Universidad Carlos III de Madrid (UC3M) and the IMDEA Materiales Institute have developed a new experimental technique in fragmentation tests to evaluate the energy absorption capacity in the event of impact of metallic structures manufactured using 3D printing. This technique, which is more flexible, simpler and faster than others currently used, makes it possible to test the mechanical performance of these materials as protective structures.

New research into children convicted of terrorism offences in England and Wales has revealed a sharp rise in -homegrown- teenage terrorist activity, with extreme-right ideology fuelling the majority of cases. Authors, University of Southampton Criminology Lecturer, Dr Gina Vale, and ISD (Institute for Strategic Dialogue) analyst Hannah Rose analysed data spanning the last eight years to map trends in minors' ideological affiliations in this report, published by the International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation (ICSR) at King's College London.

Positive experiences mitigate aversion to artificial intelligence as advice Generative artificial intelligence (AI) generates data that is similar to the human way of thinking. If a generative artificial intelligence such as ChatGPT functions as "practice advice" for overcoming personal or social challenges, it is considered by people to be less competent than human experts.

The use of nanotechnology offers numerous new possibilities in the development of medicines and the targeted release of active ingredients. One interesting innovation is the use of iron oxide nanoparticles with a special coating. This allows active ingredients to be delivered safely and directly to the affected cells.

Mangroves have been cut down in some parts of New Zealand, with the aim of reducing mud build-up and exposing the mud to currents and tides that can wash it out to sea. Widespread deforestation and farming was begun by European settlers in the late 19 Century in New Zealand, increasing the amount of sediment in rivers.

Skin blemishes are a problem many people are familiar with. Cold plasma can be a remedy, as shown by studies at Ruhr University Bochum, Germany. A Worldfactory start-up is already getting off the ground, too. Cold plasma has an antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory effect. This is shown by studies conducted by the Chair of Applied Electrodynamics and Plasma Technology at Ruhr University Bochum, Germany.

As Sarai Finks was sorting through datasets of bacterial genome sequences last year, she became frustrated by missing information. Finks studies how dietary changes affect the communities of bacteria-infecting viruses that live in our guts, and how these changes in turn affect our health. She needed to know more about the microbiome samples represented in the datasets - in particular, more details about the human environments they came from.

People living on the in low-lying coastal areas will be at even greater risk from cyclones in the future. Natural ecosystems offer protection, but this protection has decreased in recent years and is expected to continue to decline. This is a finding of a model study by an international team of researchers led by ETH Zurich.

Two University of Sydney led studies have given further weight to the benefits of delayed cord clamping, finding waiting for at least two minutes to clamp the umbilical cord of premature babies at birth could decrease the child's risk of death. Waiting for two minutes or longer to clamp the umbilical cord of a premature baby soon after birth could help reduce the risk of death, compared with immediately clamping the umbilical cord, or waiting a shorter time before doing so.

Data from a NASA mission to map dark matter around galaxy clusters has been saved by a new recovery system designed by scientists at the University of Sydney. The system allowed the retrieval of gigabytes of information, even after communication failed and the balloon-based telescope was damaged in the landing process.

Science, Health & Technology Erik Rolfsen Researchers from the University of B.C. and the BC Provincial Toxicology Centre (BCPTC) have developed a more efficient way to find out which new 'designer drugs' are circulating in the community. In a study published today in Analytical Chemistry , they showed how high-resolution mass spectrometry can be used to analyze urine samples at scale and uncover molecules from emerging designer drugs that have been missed by conventional testing.

Researchers have built the first ever map showing how every single neuron in the nervous system of a tiny worm communicates wirelessly. This huge step forward in understanding how neurons communicate through extremely short proteins called neuropeptides will help scientists understand how our emotions and mental states are controlled, as well as widespread neuropsychiatric conditions like eating disorders, OCD and PSTD.

Scientists at the University of Innsbruck have been studying the water cycle and glaciers in the Andes near Huaraz in northern Peru for a long time. They recently documented a previously unreported rainfall phenomenon. These light rainfalls, known locally as "Pushpa", mark the beginning of the sowing season.

With the ever-increasing interest in renewable energy, scientists are continuously searching for new technologies to store energy. CO2 electrolysis is a promising way to store energy whilst recycling carbon dioxide. By applying electricity, CO2 and water react and produce more complex molecules. A study published in Nature Communications lead by Hugo van Montfort at TU Delft has presented a new design of electrodes that improves the efficiency of CO2 electrolysis.

Astronomers can look 50 times deeper into the atmosphere of this exoplanet than is possible with Jupiter A team of European astronomers, with the help of researchers from the University of Vienna, has studied the atmosphere of the nearby exoplanet WASP-107b using the James Webb Space Telescope. An exoplanet is a planet orbiting a star other than our sun.

Laval University scientists identify a new class of bacteria that plays a key role in one of Canada's most northerly lakes Lake A, located on Ellesmere Island in Canada's High Arctic, has been isolated from the world for millennia. "It's a kind of lost world, untouched by human disturbance. The environmental conditions are particularly favourable for the study of microorganisms and their potential," stresses Adrien Vigneron, former postdoctoral fellow in Warwick Vincent's North Sentinel team, and Connie Lovejoy, from the Faculty of Science and Engineering.

Eight scientists from the University of Freiburg are among the "Highly Cited Researchers" for 2023. A survey by Clarivate Analytics reveals that they are among the most-frequently cited authors worldwide in their fields of research over the past decade. With nine entries - one scientist is recognised for work in two areas - the University of Freiburg holds fifth place among German universities alongside Bonn and Düsseldorf.