The humble platypus could hold the key to beating drug-resistant superbugs and help battle climate change, Australian scientists have discovered.
Researchers at Victoria’s Department of Primary Industries are the first in the world to isolate, synthesize and test a number of platypus proteins.
They discovered several new antimicrobials, which are substances similar to antiseptics that kill bacteria.
Victorian Agriculture Minister Joe Helper said platypus antimicrobials are 10 times more powerful in killing bacteria than some antimicrobials commonly used with humans.
“If we can harness some of this potential we could better protect patients from ‘superbugs,’ meaning they will recover from surgery faster and spend less time in hospital,” he said today.
DPI deputy secretary Dr Bruce Kefford said scientists were already using their discovery to help the livestock industry.
“If introduced into the stomachs of cattle, these platypus antimicrobials could improve an animal’s digestion of feed and reduce methane production, one of Australia’s largest contributors of total greenhouse gas emissions,” he said.
I’m no AGW ‘denialist’. I believe that human pollution is having *some* impact on the warming of the planet. I am also aware of the staggering amount of bullshit that crops up in the name of combating AGW. It seems every Tom, Dick and Poindexter in need of funding finds an AGW angle to their research or product.
“It seems every Tom, Dick and Poindexter in need of funding finds an AGW angle to their research or product.” /// And when true thats a good thing, right?
Are platypus a viable renewable resource?
I need government funding to help me develop a hybrid gasoline-platypus car. It’s like a hybrid SUV. The gas-powered engine moves the car. The roasted platypus are used to power the CD player.
Leonardo dicaprio has already ordered 2.
Begin “Perry the Platypus” jokes in 3..2…1…
Funny you should use the word bullshit in connection with a story involving a reduction in cow farts!
Want a Super-bug that’s 10 times more powerful? Use an antibacterial agent that’s 10 times more powerful and one will show up soon. And killing intestinal bacteria doesn’t make cows fart less, it makes them fart more. These guys clearly went to a school with a second rate Cow Flatulence Department.
Wikipedia…
“Flatulence is often blamed as a significant source of greenhouse gases, owing to the erroneous belief that the methane released by livestock is in the flatus. While livestock account for around 20% of global methane emissions, 90-95% of that is released by exhaling or burping. Only 1–2% of global methane emissions come from livestock flatus.
Since New Zealand produces large amounts of agricultural product it is in a unique position of having high methane emissions livestock compared to other greenhouse gas sources. The New Zealand government is a signatory to the Kyoto Protocol and therefore, attempts are being made to reduce greenhouse emissions. To achieve this an agricultural emissions research levy was proposed, which promptly became known as a “fart tax” or “flatulence tax”. It encountered opposition from farmers, farming lobby groups and opposition politicians.”
How long will it be before we see platypus flavour Pepsi? See http://weburbanist.com/2010/05/02/global-cola-10-pepsi-cola-flavors-you-cant-get-here/ for other odd Pepsi flavours.
OK I have to ask, just how is the juice extracted and were any paltyipi harmed in the making?
And then, industrial cattle growers with abuse the platypus antibiotics until becomes as affective as Ampicilin.
The platypus proves that God not only exists but
also has a sense of humor. A mammal that lays eggs, has a duck bill and a poison bight.
The only thing sillier is … well…. Us!
[Actually it has poison spurs on its feet. The Gulf Coast is a poison bight. – h.]
What the heck does this article have to do with global warming?
Sure we need new antibiotics. We’ve been giving every kid with a virus antibiotics to make there mothers happy rather than a sugar pill or a some vitamin D and C which might actually help as well as feeding it to live stock to prevent it from getting sick when living in cramped, crowded and unsanitary conditions and now the stuff doesn’t work because many bacteria have now become resistant to the stuff.
Here’s the truth about antibiotics. If you use it sparingly and only when needed the stuff remains useful. Spreed it around like fertilizer and it soon becomes useless. You can make more money faster doing option two so we are foolish enough to do it.