Antibiotic resistance

“Antimicrobials – including antibiotics, antivirals, antifungals, and antiparasitics – are medicines used to prevent and treat infectious diseases in humans, animals, and plants. “Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) occurs when bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites no longer respond to antimicrobial medicines. “As a result of drug resistance, antibiotics and other antimicrobial medicines become ineffective and infections become […]

Mosquito on skin

For the 20% of the population who are more susceptible to being bitten by mosquitoes than the average person, here’s some very good news. A new repellent shows great promise in preventing mosquito bites by up to 80%. It is made from combining a renewable raw material found in cotton and wood, called cellulose nanocrystals […]

Saildrone

What is a saildrone? you might ask. It’s an uncrewed, environmentally friendly, wind- and solar-powered sailing drone capable of 12-month ocean data collection missions. According to one of its makers, “Saildrone’s measurements and observations, from above and below the ocean surface, provide intelligence and insight for challenges from maritime defense and seafloor mapping to earth […]

woman engineer

In the lead up to the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2024, here’s some high-level information on what it takes to get more women to pursue careers as scientists and engineers. The US National Academy of Sciences affirms that “Women already show their proficiency with scientific content in fields like biology and medicine. They make […]

waves crashing in Hawaii

Anyone who has spent a bit of time at the ocean or sea will have noticed how the water levels rise and fall twice a day, independent of the wind or other meteorological conditions. The tides are the result of the gravitational pull of the moon, the rotational force of the Earth, and the sun. […]

Why is seaweed remarkable? After all, it’s just a vegetable that grows in the ocean and places like rivers, lakes, and other bodies of water. It’s common, including countless species of marine plants and algae. Many types exist, classified as red (Rhodophyta), green (Chlorophyta), and brown (Phaeophyta) algae. Typical types of edible seaweeds include Wakame, […]

freshwater

Ten extraordinary water-focused entrepreneurs have developed innovations that will help conserve and restore the world’s global freshwater ecosystems. Today, around one-third of the global population is already subject to water stress and, by 2030, the global demand for water will exceed sustainable supply by 40%, according to the United Nations Environment Programme. Climate change and […]

laughter

Celebrate International Joke Day: July 1st The good news is that it’s true: laughter brings about all sorts of positive things. It relieves stress, depression, and anxiety. It strengthens the immune system, boosts mood, and reduces pain. Laughing elicits a cocktail of hormones, releasing endorphins, which are chemicals that block the perception of pain and […]

Waxworm By Sam Droege - https://www.flickr.com/photos/54563451@N08/19051745004/, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=41690212

In the quest to solve the plastic pollution crisis, organizations of all types are working on solutions. The Good Times has highlighted a few on these pages in the past, such as the Ocean Cleanup removing plastics from the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, the Aquapreneur Innovation Initiative to remove microplastics from water, bacteria that have […]

Woman's Medical College

To commemorate International Women’s Day this March 8th, here’s a photo taken in 1885 of three women who graduated from the Woman’s Medical College of Pennsylvania. Founded in 1850, this school was one of the earliest universities in the world to train women to be medical doctors. According to the Encyclopedia of Greater Philadelphia: “The […]