Who are we? The microbiome revisted
In the column ‘There is no such thing as an individual’ we mentioned the influence of the microorganisms in our bodies on our development. But biologists have already gone much further along this path. Our microbiome, the living guests in our bodies, number in the millions; among them bacteria, moulds and phages (although phages cannot
Nebulised interferon as a COVID-19 medicine
In a small clinical study conducted in April and May 2020, British scientists investigated the effect of inhalation of nebulised interferon-beta-1a (SNG001) on the development of COVID-19 in patients. The results are encouraging and justify further research. Lung infections Being a 71-year-old asthmatic man, I have to take great care not to run into a
A strategy to reduce animal tests
Animal tests are a controversial issue. On the one hand, many people object to actions that deliberately damage animal welfare. On the other hand, we need these tests in order to establish the safety of medicines and new materials; people demand such safety. But new scientific discoveries might turn the tide. In the Netherlands, the
Pandemics: prevention is better than cure
Our lifestyle greatly promotes the outbreak of pandemics like Covid-19, and this could have devastating consequences. Unless we take action. Says a new report by IPBES, the Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services. Policy measures are required. An era of pandemics Pandemics are a modern phenomenon. Large trade networks facilitate a rapid diffusion of
There is no such thing as an individual
Modern biologists are waging a fierce debate on the meaning of the concept of the individual. Definitions of well-known phenomena like symbiosis and parasitism need to be rephrased. The debate goes beyond the world of plants and micro-organisms; the subject of the discussion includes mammals and therefore also mankind. We know for a long time
Fast and slow revolutions
In Europe, most people seem to have lost their belief in improvement. A concept of dreamers. But improvement takes place all the time; and the odd thing about this is that many improvements are swift and fundamental in nature, but are never highlighted as such. A story of fast and slow revolutions. Fast and slow
Review: biostimulants for sustainable crop production
This book is what a review should be all about: lengthy (365 pg), thorough, several tables and hundreds of references. Overall, this is a complete book on a highly relevant topic. Biostimulants: natural substances supporting vegetative growth, uptake of nutrients, tolerance to abiotic stress by roots and plant tolerance to drought and salt stress. Feeding
Pitfalls in nuclear energy risk analysis
Ten years ago, last month, a tsunami struck the West coast of Japan. It flooded the Fukushima nuclear reactor. This resulted in a partial meltdown and a hydrogen explosion, that released a lot of radioactivity. The media devoted many articles to this anniversary. The Conversation raised the question: in hindsight, were events really as bad
on: 5 April 2021