Researchers are puzzling over a new study that's revealed manure from antibiotic-free cows actually helps resistant bacteria to flourish in soil.
It's known that treating dairy cows and other farm animals with antibiotics and then laying their manure in soil can cause the bacteria in the dirt to become resistant to the drugs.
But a study now suggests that the manure itself could be contributing to resistance, even when it comes from cows that are free of antibiotics.
Massey University biosciences lecturer Heather Hendrickson says it's a surprising finding that shows how complex microbial interactions can be.
Also in science news this week, NASA's Orion craft successfully looped around the Earth, 15 times higher than the orbit of the International Space Station – the highest a craft capable of carrying people has flown since the Apollo missions in the early 1970s.
Watch the video for the full interview with Heather Hendrickson.
source: newshub archive
