A new study finds that microbiomes in similar habitats across geographically  distant regions are more alike than those found in the same region but in a different habitat type. While most microbes adapt to a specific ecosystem, a small subset known as ‘generalists’ can thrive across different habitats, ranging from wastewater to the human gut. The team found that generalists connect vastly disparate habitats by carrying genes, including those that confer antibiotic resistance, and passing them on to other microbes through horizontal gene transfer. Humans accelerate the dispersal of these microbes by creating new connections between environments that otherwise would not exist. The findings provide support for One Health, a framework which proposes that human, animal, and environmental health are interdependent and mutually influential.

A new smart platform invented by Purdue University researchers to wirelessly monitor subsoil health could change the landscape of agricultural sensing systems. The invention addresses a critical need in agriculture nationwide: the efficient use of water, fertilizers and pesticides. Due to the variability of soil conditions across large fields, applying uniform amounts of these inputs can lead to significant waste, increasing costs for farmers and causing environmental harm if nutrient runoff reaches water systems.

The distribution of body fat, and particularly fat accumulated around the abdomen, is a determining factor in the risk of developing metabolic and cardiovascular diseases. However, not all abdominal fat has the same impact on health: subcutaneous fat, located beneath the skin, does not carry the same risks as visceral fat, which accumulates deeper and can come into direct contact with vital organs. Identifying which type of fat predominates in a person is essential for assessing their metabolic risk and better guiding clinical interventions. In the light of this, a study led by researchers from the Department of Medicine and Surgery at the Universitat Rovira i Virgili (URV) has analysed the extent to which abdominal ultrasound can be a reliable and useful tool for measuring visceral fat, compared to magnetic resonance imaging, which is currently considered to be the best technique.