The HBO drama The Last of Us opens with a heavy conversation. Two scientists argue about the threat fungi could pose in the future. One scientist warns that fungi may become a major threat to humans.

He says climate change will help fungi adapt to warmer temperatures. That could make fungal infections more dangerous and harder to control. The other scientist brushes off these concerns.

The Last of Us focuses on a fungus called Cordyceps. While Cordyceps is not currently a real threat to humans, another fungus is: Aspergillus.

Aspergillus fungi are everywhere. They infect people, animals, and plants. A new study warns that Aspergillus will spread north as the planet warms. The more severe the warming, the more intense the spread. Human health risks will likely increase as Aspergillus reaches new regions.

[Read more…]

Non-sustainable packaging is a growing health concern for young children. Many people know about the risks of plastic byproducts like microplastics. But it’s alarming to see these chemicals affect early development. A new study shows just how widespread this problem has become.

The study was published in Environmental Science & Technology. Researchers tested urine from 201 children aged 2 to 4. They looked for 111 different chemicals across many product types. The results showed high levels of chemical exposure in these young children.

Ninety-six chemicals were found in at least five children. Forty-eight chemicals showed up in more than half of the participants. Thirty-four chemicals were found in over 90% of the children tested. Nine of these chemicals are not tracked by national health surveys.

These results suggest key exposures may go undetected by current programs. Young children are being exposed to a wide range of harmful substances. More monitoring and safer packaging choices are urgently needed to protect their health.

[Read more…]

Brian and Erika Parker spent a year and a half completing adoption paperwork. They adopted their daughter, Emily, from India. While they waited, the Parkers sent care packages and received reports about her.

When Emily was seven and a half, the Parkers noticed she was losing coordination. ER doctors from India at the Children’s Hospital of Pennsylvania asked if she had measles. They suspected SSPE (subacute sclerosing panencephalitis), a fatal brain disorder linked to measles complications.

A few months later, Emily slipped into a coma. She died a month after her eighth birthday. After Emily’s passing, the Parkers founded Emily’s Hope. The foundation promotes awareness of measles, SSPE, and the safety of the MMR vaccine.

As measles cases in many countries rise, families like the Parkers bear the brunt of international risks. Global disease trends have prompted a new CDC warning. The CDC recommends that all international travelers get fully vaccinated for measles.

[Read more…]

Superbugs are almost like shapeshifters that can live inside your body. As medicines and the immune system try to destroy them, superbugs fight back. They change form, gaining resistance to drugs and defenses.

A new study in Nature Communications shows superbugs evolve during infection. Real-time tracking may help doctors choose more targeted treatments. Researchers focused on Staphylococcus aureus, a common bacterium carried by 30% of people.

S. aureus is usually harmless, but it turns dangerous when it spreads. Once it infects the bloodstream, it can resist several antibiotics. This study shows how tracking its evolution during care may improve treatment.

[Read more…]

The Black Death is often seen as a relic of the past. Many believe plague no longer affects modern people or communities. But plague still causes illness and death around the world today. In July 2025, Coconino County, Arizona reported its first pneumonic plague death in 18 years.

Nearly 1000 years after the first major outbreak, a new vaccine emerged. Researchers have created an mRNA-based vaccine against Yersinia pestis. This bacterium causes both bubonic and pneumonic plague. The vaccine marks the first mRNA vaccine to target a bacterial pathogen. The research was published in Advanced Science.

The vaccine was conceived by Tel Aviv University and Israel’s Biological Research Institute. It uses lipid nanoparticles to deliver modified bacterial protein instructions. These help human cells produce plague antigens to train the immune system. Tests in animal models showed strong protection against deadly plague strains.

This breakthrough offers hope beyond plague prevention. The technology could lead to vaccines for antibiotic-resistant bacteria. These bacteria cause hard-to-treat infections and kill thousands each year. Drug-resistant infections are expected to worsen in coming decades.

[Read more…]