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Peanut toothpaste shows promise at preventing allergic reactions

A toothpaste that contains peanut proteins did not cause any serious side effects in people with an allergy to the food and showed early signs of preventing dangerous reactions

09/11/2023

Silkworms genetically engineered to produce pure spider silk

Spider silk has been seen as a greener alternative to artificial fibres like nylon and Kevlar, but spiders are notoriously hard to farm. Now researchers have used CRISPR to genetically engineer silkworms that produce pure spider silk

20/09/2023

Superglue alternative made from soya is strong but biodegradable

Most adhesives are made from fossil fuels and take thousands of years to biodegrade, but a new alternative derived from soya plants bonds metal, wood and synthetic surfaces just as strongly

13/09/2023

Inhalable mRNAs will boost vaccines and therapies for lung conditions

Delivering mRNAs to the cells lining the nose and lungs will make vaccines more effective and may also lead to better treatments for conditions such as cystic fibrosis

16/08/2023

CRISPR-edited trees reduce the energy and water required to make paper

Genetically editing poplar trees reduces the resources required to harvest their wood's cellulose, which makes up paper

13/07/2023

Mosquitoes made immune to malaria could help stamp out the disease

A gene-editing technique makes mosquitoes produce antibodies against the malaria parasite, which could mean cases in people are also slashed

10/07/2023

People with total colour blindness able to see red after gene therapy

Thanks to gene therapy, people who could previously only detect shades of grey can now distinguish red objects from a darker background

10/07/2023

Insects are thriving in England's rivers after fall in metal pollution

An analysis of 30 years of monitoring data shows an upward trend in the population of insects and other invertebrates in English rivers, which may be linked to lower levels of zinc and copper

19/05/2023

Stem cells treat diabetes without triggering immune response in mice

The cells could potentially be used to treat range of medical conditions, from heart attacks to cancer, without having to be made from scratch for each person

08/05/2023

Kelp forests capture nearly 5 million tonnes of CO2 annually

Towering underwater kelp forests generate a potential value of $500 billion each year by providing a boost to commercial fishing, as well as nitrogen and carbon removal

18/04/2023

Probiotics shield corals from deadly tissue loss disease

A bacterial treatment for coral stopped or slowed 68 per cent of infections with stony coral tissue loss disease in the lab, and it prevented the spread of the disease as well

06/04/2023

We can suck CO2 from the air and store it in the ocean as baking soda

A copper-based material boosts the effectiveness of the direct air capture process, turning carbon dioxide into sodium bicarbonate through a reaction with seawater

08/03/2023