Latest news with #E.Coli
NDTV
10 hours ago
- Entertainment
- NDTV
"This Is Love": Wife's E. Coli-Shaped Cake For Celebrating Husband's Achievement Pleases Internet
It's always the thoughtful surprises that count. In a similar display of affection, a woman named Kristina Amanda Hartley decided to surprise her husband by baking a cake. It was no ordinary feat as she made the dessert in the shape of the E. coli bacteria, commonly found in the intestines of humans and animals. But she had a very special reason for the seemingly bizarre preparation. It turns out that the woman wanted to celebrate her partner's milestone of completing his PhD degree. The text layout on the video she shared on Instagram read, 'Me making an cake at 3 am to surprise my husband on his PhD graduation morning.' The wife began her culinary creation by slicing a heart-shaped bread into four slices. Next, Kristina spreads a generous amount of butter on one slice. Tomato puree is added on top, followed by pink-coloured frosting along the sides in a shape resembling flowers. After that, chunks of fruit are added for a delectable spin. In the following step, the woman piles two bread slices, one on top of the other and covers them both with the frosting. Then she mashes the additional bread slices in a vessel and pours the cake batter. Once they are blended well, she rolls them out in an elongated shape, and soon the cake looks strikingly similar to the E. coli bacteria. Her side note read, 'Would you eat an E. Coli cake?' Take a look at the video here: View this post on Instagram A post shared by Kristina Amanda Hartley (@kristinaamandahartley) The thoughtful gesture by the woman grabbed much attention online, with over 67.3 lakh views. Social media users were left mesmerised by the unique creation. One person said, 'It was cute and thoughtful! I know he loved it.' Echoing the same sentiment, another user added, 'Lol! This is too sweet and funny! That is so wonderful of you to celebrate him, and congratulations to him! Huge accomplishment!' 'This is so adorable!!!' said another. Someone stated, 'Haha, this is quite funny in a unique way.' 'Looks delicious, would definitely eat it. This is love, FR,' read yet another comment. The unique creation to celebrate her husband's special moment was simply praiseworthy.
Indianapolis Star
10 hours ago
- Climate
- Indianapolis Star
Eagle Creek Beach closed to swimmers after test finds elevated levels of E. coli
Indy Parks and Recreation has closed Eagle Creek Beach until further notice after a routine water test found "elevated levels of E. Coli," according to a June 25 social media post from Eagle Creek Park. The beach will be closed for the foreseeable future, but a dozen beaches and pools remain open to the public, as well as 16 splash pads throughout Indianapolis. They might not be a good choice for beating the heat, though, as the National Weather Service predicts several days of thunder that will roll into the area beginning on the evening of June 27. E. coli levels can spike during and immediately after periods of heavy rainfall and high heat. Central Indiana is at the tail end of a heat wave, which may also be responsible for bacterial contamination in Hamilton County waterways earlier this week. On June 25, the Fishers Health Department issued a public health advisory after tests found evidence of E. coli in both the White River and Fall Creek. The presence of E. coli in water is indicative of fecal contamination, which could come from agricultural or sewage runoff. There are many strains of E. coli, according to the Indiana Department of Environmental Management. Most are "harmless," the agency says, while some strains can cause serious gastrointestinal illness, urinary tract infections or respiratory problems.
Japan Today
a day ago
- Health
- Japan Today
E.coli can turn plastic into painkillers, chemists discover
Paracetamol can be made by combining the bacteria and plastic waste, scientists have discovered Scientists have found a way to use the bacteria to convert plastic waste into a popular painkiller, a study said, though outside experts doubted the technique would make a dent in the fight against plastic pollution. Paracetamol, which is one of the most commonly used drugs worldwide, is made from the derivatives of fossil fuels, often by Asia-based subcontractors using cheap, polluting methods that contribute to climate change. The world is also facing an escalating crisis of plastic pollution, with countries set for another bruising round of negotiations in August in the hope of sealing an international treaty to reduce plastic waste. The British team of researchers behind the new study sought to find a solution to the two problems by roping in a third -- which is normally known for making people sick when they eat contaminated food. First the chemists used a molecule derived from PET plastic, which is used in bottles and many other plastic products the world over, to spark a chemical reaction in a strain of This created a molecule they called PABA, according to the Nature Chemistry study, which was partly funded by drug firm AstraZeneca. By genetically modifying the bacteria, the chemists were able to transform their molecule into acetaminophen, also known as paracetamol. "This work demonstrates that PET plastic isn't just waste or a material destined to become more plastic -- it can be transformed by microorganisms into valuable new products, including those with potential for treating disease," lead study Stephen Wallace said in a statement. Singaporean researchers not involved in the study praised how it combined synthetic and biological chemistry. But "several practical considerations remain" to take this idea beyond the proof-of-concept stage, they wrote in a linked commentary in the journal Nature Chemistry. The chemical reaction produces only a limited amount of PABA molecules, which "may be insufficient for industrial applications", they wrote. Melissa Valliant, communications director of the Beyond Plastics project of Bennington College in the United States, expressed skepticism. "A new 'plastic-eating bacteria' pops up in the news every few months and has been doing so for years," she told AFP. "These discoveries never scale up to anything significant enough to tackle the massive plastic pollution problem." This "crisis needs to be stopped at the source," she added, which means "companies and policymakers must reduce the amount of plastic being produced and used in the first place". © 2025 AFP
Daily Mirror
2 days ago
- Health
- Daily Mirror
Vet issues urgent warning to dog owners over public drinking bowls
It might be tempting to let your thirsty pet take a sip from communal water bowls - but a vet nurse cautions that these bowls could be exposing them to serious harm It might be getting hot outside, but an expert has warned against letting your pet dog drink from communal water bowls for a major reason. Communal bowls are commonly found outside of homes, outside of shops, or in parks frequented by dogs, and allow multiple dogs to drink out of them whenever they get thirsty. They are a dog friendly concept that many pet owners appreciate when out and about with their four-legged friends. But, it does have some concerning downsides. Jade the Vet Nurse came onto TikTok to share the dangers of communal water bowls. She told viewers: 'Whilst these bowls are put out with good intentions, they can often be a source of contamination. They can risk spreading infectious diseases through multiple dogs drinking out of them. 'I don't recommend that anyone let their dog drink out of these communal bowls, nor do I recommend you actually put them outside of your houses or shops or at the dog park.' She continued: 'The thing with these bowls is that you don't know how long the water has been sat there. You don't know if it's fresh, if it's stagnant. You don't know the last time the bowl was cleaned or what it was cleaned with.' She also added that you don't know what other animals may have been drinking out of it. While these bowls are intended for dogs, they can also be accessed by pests like rats and foxes. The reason why this is concerning is that the water can contain harmful germs. Jade warned that these bowls can spread dangerous parasites like roundworm, tapeworm, giardia and lungworm. She explains that major reason for this is that water bowls are likely to attract slugs, who go 'all around the edge of those bowls', and which are known to transmit infections like lungworm. Even worse, they can also spread deadly and infectious diseases like leptospirosis – otherwise known as Weil's disease – kennel cough and canine papilloma virus. She warned that communal bowls can also act as a kind of "reservoir" for bacteria, allowing for them to grow. This includes salmonella and E. Coli, which can make your dog very sick. Of course, this doesn't mean you have to let your dog go thirsty when out walking. Instead, Jade recommends: 'Take a travel bowl and bottle of water and just stop occasionally to give your dog a drink.' Dog-owners were quick to share their own tips in the comment section. 'You can buy a bottle with a drinking dish attached to it and they aren't expensive,' one wrote. Another added: 'Everyone saying their dog drinks from puddles and toilets, my dog only drinks freshly poured water. He never drinks from left over water in the bowl!'
The Sun
4 days ago
- Health
- The Sun
E.coli can turn plastic into painkillers, chemists discover
PARIS: Scientists have found a way to use the bacteria to convert plastic waste into a popular painkiller, a study said Monday, though outside experts doubted the technique would make a dent in the fight against plastic pollution. Paracetamol, which is one of the most commonly used drugs worldwide, is made from the derivatives of fossil fuels, often by Asia-based subcontractors using cheap, polluting methods that contribute to climate change. The world is also facing an escalating crisis of plastic pollution, with countries set for another bruising round of negotiations in August in the hope of sealing an international treaty to reduce plastic waste. The British team of researchers behind the new study sought to find a solution to the two problems by roping in a third -- which is normally known for making people sick when they eat contaminated food. First the chemists used a molecule derived from PET plastic, which is used in bottles and many other plastic products the world over, to spark a chemical reaction in a strain of This created a molecule they called PABA, according to the Nature Chemistry study, which was partly funded by drug firm AstraZeneca. By genetically modifying the bacteria, the chemists were able to transform their molecule into acetaminophen, also known as paracetamol. 'This work demonstrates that PET plastic isn't just waste or a material destined to become more plastic -- it can be transformed by microorganisms into valuable new products, including those with potential for treating disease,' lead study Stephen Wallace said in a statement. Singaporean researchers not involved in the study praised how it combined synthetic and biological chemistry. But 'several practical considerations remain' to take this idea beyond the proof-of-concept stage, they wrote in a linked commentary in the journal Nature Chemistry. The chemical reaction produces only a limited amount of PABA molecules, which 'may be insufficient for industrial applications', they wrote. Melissa Valliant, communications director of the Beyond Plastics project of Bennington College in the United States, expressed scepticism. 'A new 'plastic-eating bacteria' pops up in the news every few months and has been doing so for years,' she told AFP. 'These discoveries never scale up to anything significant enough to tackle the massive plastic pollution problem.' This 'crisis needs to be stopped at the source,' she added, which means 'companies and policymakers must reduce the amount of plastic being produced and used in the first place'.
