Weekly Newsletter

November 21st Edition

Continuous Clean Your Home Before the Holiday

Probiotics that clean for days…

Continuous cleaning

Sounds great, doesn’t it? Who wouldn’t want a product that kept on cleaning for seven days after you first used it! But isn’t that impossible? How does it work?

The Gut Microbiome’s Role in Autism Gets Murkier

As scientists look for a link between digestive-tract microbes and autism, some questionable treatments have surfaced. A new study says they’ve got it all backwards.

Real Men Drive Electric Trucks

How much will American men have to adapt to help keep the planet from roasting?

Breaking Down Cancer's Defenses With Bacteria

Bacteria generally have a bad reputation, as people first think of certain strains that can cause serious illnesses like pneumonia or meningitis.

Simple Fermented Cranberry Sauce (Sweet and Tart)

Cranberry sauce is a holiday tradition. And this tart and sweet honey fermented cranberry sauce is fresh, flavorful, and delicious.

November 14th Edition

SCD Probiotics Heads to => Taiwan

We export probiotics to countries around the globe.

Expanding in Asia, SCD Probiotics Attends Taiwan Expo

We had the express pleasure of sending our probiotic cleaners and dietary supplements to Bio Asia Taiwan Expo last week in conjunction with the Missouri Department of Agriculture.

Join us as a probiotic partner

The Earth’s Secret Miracle Worker is Not a Plant or an Animal: It’s Fungi

Without fungi we don’t have bread, chocolate, cheese, soy sauce, beer or wine. They are also crucial to protecting our climate

Men Are Just As Emotional As Women, Study Suggests

It is not a compliment to call someone “emotional.” We incorrectly see emotion as the opposite of the “rational” or “effective,” even though neuroscientists have long known that emotion is what drives intelligent thought.

The Moon Has Enough Oxygen Buried Beneath Its Surface to Sustain Billions of People

This could change everything.

A Cultural Triumph: Microbiology Student Makes A Petri Dish Masterpiece

Balaram Khamari is a doctoral student in microbiology who has always felt the connection between science and art.

Here’s the Skinny on POSTBIOTICS

What are they and how do they improve gut health?

What Are Postbiotics, and How Can They Benefit You?

We tapped two experts to break down everything you need to know.

Sleep With Your Pet? How That May Affect You (And Your Pet)

In the quest for better sleep, people often ask if they should share their bed with a pet.

Global CO2 Emissions Have Returned to Near Pre-Pandemic Levels

A new report shows carbon emissions from burning fossil fuels jumped by more this year than they fell during 2020

Use The 4-7-8 Method to Fall Asleep Almost Instantly

Ancient wisdom and modern science agree that all you need to fall asleep fast is a few seconds and a set of lungs.

Peanut Allergy Treatment Works Long Term

Four years after taking a probiotic and peanut protein for 18 months, two-thirds of children in a small clinical trial can eat peanuts with no health issues.

How Lactose Intolerant Mongolians Can Eat So Much Dairy

The answer lies in their microbiome and culture of lacto-fermentation…

The Answer To Lactose Intolerance Might Be In Mongolia

Mongolians’ DNA says they can’t digest milk, yet their diet relies on dairy. A researcher investigates why.

Earth Could Be Alien To Humans By 2500

Unless greenhouse gas emissions drop significantly, warming by 2500 will make the Amazon barren, Iowa tropical and India too hot to live in.

Houseplants Stopped Growing? Here’s How to Work Out Why (and What You Can Do about It)

An expert outlines the most common reasons why plants stop growing, and what you can do to fix it.

There’s Still Time to Fix Climate—About 11 Years

Aggressive policies, enacted now, can extend the deadline and prevent the worst catastrophes.

Lacto-fermentation Fruit and Vegetables Recipes

Fermentation is one of the most ancient forms of food preservation and one of the easiest.

Join the Probiotic Cleaning Revolution

Our cleaners fight for real estate and resources, crowding out bad microbes.

Probiotic Cleaning Blog 2: Competitive Exclusion

In part 2 of “How do Probiotics Clean?” we are going to talk about competitive exclusion. That is a fancy term for something that is easy to grasp with a metaphor.

Strong Beer’s Probiotic ?Properties Can Enhance Your Health, Says Science

Red wine has long enjoyed its rep as a heart-healthy tipple, celebrated for its high polyphenol content.

This Artist Turns Old Nikes Into Sculptural Marvels Made of Moss, Bark, and Rock

Christophe Guinet grew up between two worlds. Part of his life was spent in Marseille, where he discovered the wonders of nature.

The Animals That May Exist In A Million Years, Imagined By Biologists

Fully aquatic whale-rats. Praying mantises the size of dogs. Scientists imagine the future evolution of life on Earth.

The #1 Worst Eating Habit That Ages You Faster, Says Expert

Limiting this in your diet can make a huge difference.

What the Heck Are Post-biotics?

And how do they clean your countertop? Here’s the answer…

How Do Probiotics Clean A Countertop? Part One: Postbiotics

How can a bacteria clean a countertop? It just seems counter-intuitive (pun intended), but it happens. Probiotics have four main mechanisms for cleaning, and today, we’ll cover a big one—Postbiotics!

How To Brew A Greener Beer

Innovators in beer, wine, and alcohol production are trying to transform one of the most environmentally damaging industries.

Is Healthy Aging And Increased Longevity Connected To The Gut microbiome?

Growing research suggests gut microbes are involved not only in all aspects of body function, but also in healthy aging. New findings show that the gut microbiome could help restore aging-related immune and cognitive impairments.

The Surprising Downsides To Planting Trillions Of Trees

Large tree-planting initiatives often fail — and some have even fueled deforestation. There’s a better way.

How To Make Easy Kimchi At Home

When it comes to kimchi-making, there are over a hundred different kinds, but mak kimchi, or simple kimchi, is a great place to start.

Certified Biobased and USDA Certified Organic

Our probiotic cleaners are officially cleaner than clean!

It’s official

Our Probiotic Cleaning Concentrate and All-Purpose Cleaner are USDA Certified Biobased Products. What does this mean? They’ve been third-party verified that they contain 100% USDA certified biobased content—aka renewable plant and probiotic materials, with 0 petroleum or petroleum-based ingredients in sight. Oh and dirt and grime still don’t stand a chance thanks to the continuous cleaning power of our microscopic friends—who live for up to 3 days to keep those surfaces clean!

Trio of Scientists Win Nobel Prize for Physics for Climate Work

Three scientists have won the 2021 Nobel prize in physics for their groundbreaking contributions to our understanding of complex physical systems – including how humanity influences the Earth’s climate.

This Science-Backed Technique Kills Anxiety and Stress Using Just One Word

Research shows cue-controlled relaxation is a great way to calm an anxious mind.

Fat Bear Week Has a Champion: All hail 480 Otis

They went pound for pound, gut to gut. Coming into the final round, both animals had fervent support online.

You Have a Sixth Sense You Probably Aren't Using Yet

Humans have a sixth sense that most of us aren't using, but could learn to.

Stop Sanitizing, Start Probioticizing…

Disinfecting indoor spaces could be making space for pathogens to grow.

To Make a Building Healthier, Stop Sanitizing Everything

Improve the ventilation, even spread some good germs. If you want people to be healthy and productive, tend the microbiome.

Revel In The Tiny Marvels Seen Through A Microscope

These images, honored in Nikon’s annual Small World photo competition, are reminders of the colorful wonders invisible to the naked eye.

You Aren't Lazy. You Just Need To Slow Down

A surprising influence helped author Devon Price understand what's wrong with closely associating our worth with our work.

Deep-Sea Snail Builds Its Own Ironclad Suit of Armor. But Even That Can’t Protect It From Ocean Mining

The sea pangolin only lives by a few hydrothermal vents in the Indian Ocean, which are being targeted by deep-sea miners

Sustainable Fashion Wants Brands To Redefine Business Growth

Asket, a menswear brand founded in 2015, grew an average of 150% every year in its first five years.

Potty Training Cows Could Reduce Pee Pollution

Not a joke … cows can learn to use the toilet.

Potty Training Cows Could Help Reduce Their pee-related pollution

Cow pee-soaked soil is a source of ammonia and nitrous oxide. Researchers trained calves to use a toilet, so farmers could more easily collect and treat all of that waste.

How To End The American Obsession With Driving

To fight climate change, cities need to be designed with much more walking, biking, and public transit use in mind.

A Brief History Of House Cats

It may be that “nobody owns a cat,” but scientists now say the popular pet has lived with people for 12,000 years.

Are We Eating Ourselves To Extinction?

It’s not just animals that are at risk of dying out, the world’s crops are in rapid decline. Here’s why it matters what is on your plate.

Don't Be Fooled, These Healthy Fall Recipes Are Still Just as Comforting

Comfort food doesn't have to leave you reaching for your stretchy pants.

Why Fruit Trees Need Probiotics

Nature’s Smallest Organisms Protect Fruit, Improve Drought Tolerance

Do Fruit Trees Need Probiotics?

Nature’s Smallest Organisms Protect Fruit, Improve Drought Tolerance.

This Nightclub Traps Dancers’ Body Heat To Warm And Cool The Building

The Matrix imagined a world where humans were treated as organic generators, with our bodies putting out constant thermal energy used by machines.

These Popular Tuna Species Are No Longer Endangered, Surprising Scientists

From fish to Komodo dragons, the International Union for Conservation of Nature has updated its list of the world’s most endangered species.

New Wind Turbine Blades Could Be Recycled Instead Of Landfilled

If the blades can hold up to outdoor conditions, they could help accelerate onshore and offshore wind power.

A Brief History of Pickles

Is there an alternate timeline where America is known as the United States of the Pickle-Dealer? It seems unlikely, but there’s an element of truth to this half-sour hypothetical.

Is Fermented Coffee Good for You?

Colombian company uses probiotics to improve flavor and digestibility.

Fermented Coffee Offers New Flavors for Old Favorites

So, you’ve tried every item on the local coffee shop’s menu. You’ve ordered gourmet coffees online, and haunted specialty coffee roasters for years. What could you possibly find that’s new about coffee?

The People Who Believe Plants Can Talk

While many gardeners believe talking to their plants encourages them to grow, there is a war of words in the scientific world about whether plants are listening, or even talking back.

Remains of 9,000-Year-Old Beer Found in China

The lightly fermented beverage contained rice, tubers and fungi.

To Feed or Not to Feed Wild Birds

Do you feed birds in your yard? Welcome to the club!

These 7 Foods Might Help Alleviate Seasonal Allergy Symptoms

When you think of food and allergies, you may think of keeping certain foods out of your diet to avoid an adverse reaction.

We Could All Use a Mood Boost

The many benefits of adding probiotics to your diet.

How Probiotics in Your Diet Can Impact Your Mood

It is common for people to treat the mind and body as two separate entities. However, the mind-body connection is very important as it significantly improves the overall wellbeing of a person.

Attack of the Superweeds

Herbicides are losing the war — and agriculture might never be the same again.

Why It’s Important To Shower Right After a Dip in the Ocean

The amount of time you should allow between swimming in the ocean and taking a shower is shorter than you think, according to new research.

Increased Air Pollution Boosts Chances Of Severe Mental Illness, Study Finds

Exposure to higher levels of air pollution can possibly lead to an increased risk of serious mental health issues, according to research published in the British Journal of Psychiatry, adding to growing research highlighting the hidden health costs of the climate crisis.

Scientists: Life May Thrive on Ocean Worlds Far Larger Than Earth

A biosignature detection would transform our understanding of life in the universe.

Climate Change, More Arable Land but More Pathogens

Probiotics could help reduce impact and protect soil health.

New Study Shows Climate Change May Increase the Spread of Plant Pathogens

Models suggest that higher latitude crops will experience higher infection rates and a greater number of threats

How To Win The War On Car Idling

Air-pollution laws, enforcement sprees and educational campaigns haven’t worked. What will it take to make drivers shut off their engines when they’re parked?

‘It Could Feed The World’: Amaranth, A Health Trend 8,000 Years Old That Survived Colonization

Indigenous women in North and Central America are coming together to share ancestral knowledge of amaranth, a plant booming in popularity as a health food

Screen Use Linked to Failing Eyesight in Children

After a year spent indoors staring at screens, short-sightedness is on the rise in kids.

Kanji (Indian Probiotic Drink)

In India, people have traditionally consumed a good amount of fermented foods.

Are You Tied to the Toilet?

Take probiotics that are effective against upset stomach and diarrhea.

Using Probiotics For Diarrhea

If you're looking for relief from tummy trouble, you may want to consider trying helpful bacteria and yeast called probiotics.

Future Space Travel Might Require Mushrooms

Mycologist Paul Stamets discusses the potential extraterrestrial uses of fungi, including terraforming planets, building human habitats—and providing psilocybin therapy to astronauts.

Cargo Bikes Can Deliver Packages Faster Than Vans—And With Less Pollution

Your delivery could come 60% faster by cargo bike instead of a van, cutting down on both congestion and pollution, according to a London-based study.

Deadly Heat Waves, Floods, Drought Will Get Worse If Warming Continues

In the new IPCC report, the world's leading climate experts laid out how extreme weather will grow more common unless "drastic" cuts to emissions are made now.

Summer Probiotic Macro Bowl

Create grounded energy in the height of summer with colorful plants and tangy sauerkraut.

Fermented Diet Lowers Inflammation, Increases Diversity

Our dietary supplements contain fermentative microbes shown to reduce inflammation

A Fermented-Food Diet Increases Microbiome Diversity And Lowers Inflammation, Stanford Study Finds

Stanford researchers discover that a 10-week diet high in fermented foods boosts microbiome diversity and improves immune responses.

Ask The Doctors: New research Shows Benefits Of Postbiotics

The discussion about probiotics, prebiotics and the gut microbiome has exploded in recent years.

A Critical Ocean System May Be Heading For Collapse Due To Climate Change, Study Finds

‘The consequences of a collapse would likely be far-reaching’

Silver Linings

The pandemic obliged—or enabled—many women to go gray. They’re still reckoning with the transformation.

This New Technology Could Help Cool People Down—Without Electricity

As climate change brings more extreme heat, air conditioning use is going to skyrocket, baking the planet even more. What if there were a way to cool without making warming worse?

Drug-resistant Fungal Superbug Worries Officials

Cleaning homes and hospitals with probiotics containing Saccharomyces cerevisiae could help

Drug-Resistant Fungal 'Superbug' Has Health Officials Worried

As if the latest COVID-19 case surge isn’t enough to worry about, there’s a new fungal “superbug” making the rounds in some already overburdened medical facilities.

Probiotic Yeast May Offer an Effective Treatment for Drug-Resistant Fungal Infections

A study by researchers at WPI and the Central Food Technological Research Institute in India shows that yeasts derived from food are effective in preventing infections and reducing the virulence of several Candida species, including the multi-drug resistant Candida auris.

Renewables Overtook Coal and Nuclear Power Generation in the US Last Year

For the first time in US history, renewables became the second-most prevalent electricity source in 2020 after natural gas, according to the US Energy Information Administration (EIA).

This Summer Could Change Our Understanding of Extreme Heat

The record-smashing Pacific Northwest heat wave suggests that climate change has forced us past a threshold for temperatures.

Eating Fermented Foods Both Fights Inflammation and Boosts Immunity, According to a New Study

Packed with live probiotics (aka good gut bacteria), fermented foods have long been the darlings of dietitians thanks to their many microbiome-balancing benefits.

Microbiome For Sale: The Ethics of Buying Your Bacteria

Fecal transplants turn exploitative of indigenous tribes…

You’re Missing Microbes. But Is ‘Rewilding’ the Way to Get Them Back?

The science behind the idea of restoring the intestinal microbiome to an ancestral state is shaky, skeptics say, and in some cases unethical.

This Sustainable 'Leather' Comes From Kombucha Tea

A sustainable film made from a byproduct of kombucha tea could be a new material for clothing, shoes, or handbags.

This New Study Debunks One Of The Biggest Criticisms Of Electric Vehicles

Even if you include the emissions from the battery and charging it with dirty energy, an EV has a smaller footprint than a gas-powered car.

8 Natural Ways to Repel Insects Without Bug Spray

You don’t need a can full of DEET to keep ticks and mosquitoes at bay in a survival situation.

Are Living Walls The Key To Cooler Cities?

Whoever said the living was easy in summertime never lived in a city between the months of June and August.

Blue Muffin Test Measures Digestion Time

The less time the better…

Unlocking The ‘Gut Microbiome’ – And Its Massive Significance To Our Health

Scientists are only just discovering the enormous impact of our gut health – and how it could hold the key to everything from tackling obesity to overcoming anxiety and boosting immunity

What Regular Swimming Does For The Body And Mind

Swimming regularly can help relieve the stress of pandemic life, but the benefits of a dip in the pool go well beyond the momentary boost of mood.

Lululemon Is Experimenting With The First Fabric Made From Recycled Carbon Emissions

The material is exactly the same as you’d find in current Lululemon products, except the polyester comes from ethanol that was produced by pollution-eating bacteria.

Wild Fish Are Getting Addicted To Meth In Their Own Rivers, Study Suggests

Around 269 million people worldwide use drugs each year.

The biggest problem with eating insects isn’t the “ew” factor

Can insects become a big part of humanity’s diet? Should they?

Gut Microbes in GI Tract Pre-Digest Pharmaceuticals

You aren’t the only one digesting your pills….

How Gut Microbes Shape Our Response to Drugs

The human microbiome activates some medicines, inactivates others and provokes side effects

It’s Time To Rip Up Your Lawn And Replace It With Something You Won’t Need To Mow

With low-maintenance ground cover, you probably won't need that lawnmower anymore.

Harmful Bacteria Are Hiding In Livestock; Traditional Methods Aren’t Finding Them

Growing resistance to our go-to antibiotics is one of the biggest threats the world faces.

Renting Clothing Is Worse For The Planet Than Just Throwing It Away, Study Shows

Brands are trying to convince us that recycling and renting clothes is sustainable.

Oldest Strain Of Plague Bacteria Found In 5,000-Year-Old Human Remains

Unlike the ‘Black Death’ in the 14th century, the ancient infection probably did not spread quickly between people

Burst of Research Says Gut Microbes Influence COVID Severity

Protect your gut health with SCD Essential Probiotics

Gut Reactions: Microbes in the Digestive Tract Influence COVID Severity

Our resident bacteria help regulate the immune system and response to infections.

There Are Thousands More Toxic Chemicals In Plastic Than We Thought

You know that phthalates and flame retardants are toxic. But a new study finds that a quarter of all chemicals in plastics could be equally harmful to you.

The Dos And Don’ts Of Hot Vax Summer

A vaccinated American’s guide to traveling this summer

Migratory Birds Aid The Redistribution Of Plants To New Climates

Birds that travel long distances can disperse seeds far and wide. An assessment of the timing and direction of European bird migration reveals how these patterns might affect seed dispersal as the planet warms.

The Next Pandemic Is Already Here. Covid Can Teach Us How To Fight It.

We’ve known the dangers of antimicrobial resistance for years. What if we used what we learned from covid to tackle it?

A Place Without Microbes | Health Benefits of Coffee Re-confirmed

A Mars-like landscape without microbes has been discovered

Soils From Antarctica Seem To Contain No Life—Something That's Never Been Found

The soils, from rocky ridges in the center of Antarctica, harbor no microbes at all, something that’s never been found.

Can You Get Skin Cancer From Just One Sunburn?

One bad sunburn can double your risk of a malignant melanoma. Run for your bottle of sunscreen now.

The Health Benefits Of Coffee

Drinking coffee has been linked to a reduced risk of all kinds of ailments, including Parkinson’s disease, melanoma, prostate cancer, even suicide.

Methane Menace: Aerial Survey Spots 'Super-Emitter' Landfills

The U.S. waste-management industry has become a darling of environmentally minded investors for its work in recycling trash and harvesting gases from landfills as an alternative fuel.

Scientists Just Turned Plastic Bottles Into . . . Vanilla Flavoring?

It’s not just fun and games: Vanillin (vanilla extract) is used in everything from food to pharmaceuticals to cosmetics.

Bokashi: A Cleaner Way to Compost

If you haven’t heard of the Bokashi Method, you’ll want to read this…

For Cleaner Home Composting, Learn the Bokashi Method

Why fermenting your waste makes sense for you and the planet.

Archeologists Discover 1000-Year-Old Egg, Accidentally Break It

"Even at the global level, this is an extremely rare find."

How Biological Batteries Can Generate Renewable Energy From Soil

Think about where our energy comes from: drilling rigs and smokestacks, windmills and solar panels. Lithium-ion battery packs might even come to mind.

The Human Genome Is—Finally!—Complete

The Human Genome Project left 8 percent of our DNA unexplored. Now, for the first time, those enigmatic regions have been revealed.

Global Travelers Pick Up Numerous Genes That Promote Microbial Resistance

Such genes have potential to spread when travelers return home

A Year Without Germs and Your Microbial Diversity Has Fallen.

Rebuild it with SCD Probiotics.

A Year Without Germs

Months of exuberant hand-sanitizing and social isolation during the pandemic have changed our exposure to microbes, in ways good and bad.

How Cheese, Wheat and Alcohol Shaped Human Evolution

Over time, diet causes dramatic changes to our anatomy, immune systems, and maybe even skin color.

These Are The 3 Types Of Mental Downtime Your Brain Needs

Targeting different sources of mental fatigue can help make your time away from work be more restorative.

Physicist Claims That Information Is A New Form Of Matter

And he says we're on track for it to outweigh everything else on Earth.

Lilac Syrup And The Underrated Art Of Eating Flowers

The social-media star Alexis Nikole Nelson, a.k.a. BlackForager, is building an army of florivores.

Surprise! Goodwill Doesn’t Want Your Broken Toaster

But they don’t want to tell you so.

Goodwill Doesn't Want Your Broken Toaster

Cars begin lining up outside the Goodwill donation center in Seabrook, N.H., around 10 a.m. most mornings.

COVID-19 Pet Boom Has Veterinarians Backlogged, Burned Out

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — During the gloomiest stretches of the pandemic, Dr. Diona Krahn’s veterinary clinic has been a puppy fest, overrun with new four-legged patients.

Multidrug-Resistant Bacteria Is Significantly Less Common In Organic Meat, New Study Finds

Researchers also linked pathogen data with different types of meat processing plants, suggesting that contamination might not happen only at the farm level.

How the Personal Computer Broke the Human Body

Decades before 'Zoom fatigue' broke our spirits, the so-called computer revolution brought with it a world of pain previously unknown to humankind.

This Summer Soup Recipe With Gut-Healthy Herbs Is Equal Parts Soothing and Delicious

When it comes to thinking about gut-healthy meals, it’s easy to resort to the obvious, like probiotic yogurt or kefir, and fermented foods like kombucha, kimchi, and sauerkraut.

Probiotic Soap is Good for You!

It also could be good for the environment.

This Probiotic Soap Doesn’t Pollute Rivers It Gets Into—It Helps Clean Them

Washing clothes in rivers can damage the ecosytems and make the water undrinkable.

Cicadas Have an Existential Problem

The bacteria that live inside the insects can’t keep themselves together.

You Should Put a Bowl of Vinegar in Your Dishwasher—Here’s Why

It’s a terrific rinse-aid that combats water stains like no other.

Rare Footage Shows Endangered Whales 'Hugging'

Fewer than 400 North Atlantic right whales remain in the ocean; catching this little-seen behavior on camera is a welcome sign.

Stop Spending Time on Things You Hate

Your time on Earth is precious and limited. Here’s how to waste it.

Captive Ape Microbiomes Resemble Human Microbiomes

Even wild apes harbor microbes with antibiotic resistance genes.

Captive Apes' Gut Microbiomes Are A Lot Like Some People's

Apes in US zoos have gut microbiomes that are more similar to those of people who eat a non-Western diet than to the gut makeup of their wild ape cousins, according to a new study.

This Ultra-White Paint May Someday Replace Air Conditioning

Developed by researchers at Purdue University, the paint reflects 98.1 percent of sunlight

Single-Use Food Containers You Can Compost and Eat!

April is when the world not only commemorates, but pushes initiatives to help restore mother Earth.

Astronomers are very frustrated with Elon Musk’s satellites

Who will save the night sky?

Looking For A Way To Mark Earth Day? Try These Movies, Songs, Books And More

On Thursday, Earth Day, President Biden is holding a global summit on climate — aiming for the U.S. to cut greenhouse gasses to half of their 2005 levels by the end of the 2020s.

Want to Sleep Better? Look to the Microbiome

8 tips for improving diversity in your gut

Sleep and the Microbiome

Listening to Your Gut May Help Improve Your Sleep

Will Probiotics Save Corals or Harm Them?

Bacteria are helping corals in lab tests, but risks rise as treatments are applied in the wild

The Nation’s Corn Belt Has Lost a Third of Its Topsoil

Researchers used satellite imaging and surface soil color to find out how much of the nutrient-rich earth has eroded away

The Best Remedy for Our Diseases? Aging Less

Some animals hardly deteriorate as they get older. New therapies could help humans to achieve the same healthy longevity.

New Study Shows Forming A Simple Smile Tricks Your Mind Into A Positive Workday Mood

“Smile and the world smiles with you, cry and you cry alone,” goes the song. For decades, singers have crooned about the power of smiling to make you feel better.

Don’t Envy the Microbiome of a 20 Year Old

Microbiomes in older people change to fight chronic illness

A Changing Gut Microbiome May Predict How Well You Age

People whose gut bacteria transformed over the decades tended to be healthier and live longer.

This Wild-Looking House Is Made Out Of Dirt By A Giant 3D Printer

These 645-square-foot domed buildings were printed in Italy over the course of 200 hours.

Sneaky New Bacteria On the ISS Could Build A Future On Mars

NASA tracks the microbes that live on the space station, and sometimes it discovers new ones. Those hardy bugs may offer clues about surviving long missions.

The rice of the sea: how a tiny grain could change the way humanity eats

Ángel León made his name serving innovative seafood. But then he discovered something in the seagrass that could transform our understanding of the sea itself – as a vast garden...

Why Do People Stack Stones In The Wild?

From Maine to Mongolia, rock piles mark paths, tombs, and create art. But they come with complications.

Carcinogen Found in Hand Sanitizers that Plugged the Pandemic Gap

Our Organic Lavender Sanitizer Spray Contains Only the Highest Quality Ingredients

Carcinogen Found in Hand Sanitizers That Plugged Covid Gap

Some widely available hand sanitizers that American consumers snapped up last year to ward off coronavirus infection contain high levels of a chemical known to cause cancer, a testing firm’s analysis found.

How To “Rewild” Your Skin In 5 Simple Ways

The green-fingered among you will have already heard about rewilding.

How To Make Sourdough Starter from Scratch

No expensive heirloom starters, mashed-up grapes, or mysterious rituals required—just flour, water, and a little bit of patience.

All Your Memories Are Stored by One Weird, Ancient Molecule

We actually borrowed our ability to form memories from viruses.

The Wolf That Discovered California

Nearly a century after the last wolf was eradicated in the state, a lone female arrived and established a pack. Not everyone is cheering

Our Microbiomes Have Suffered During COVID Quarantine

The microbiome of a modern apartment is not a useful exposure – but what is?

How COVID-19 Measures Might Be Impacting Your Microbiome — And What to Do About It

Do pandemic-spurred lockdowns hurt our ability to develop a healthy immune system? Maybe. But there's ways to combat potential effects.

25 Ways To Win The Garden Season

Get ready for a great big haul, thanks to these pro growing tips— on everything from which fruits and veggies to plant and how to water just enough, to natural ways to keep pests at bay. Plus, all new ways to cook your tomatoes, zucchini and more.

Using Soil To Make Art

Geologists in California and Wyoming use unique palettes to teach science

How To Know If Garden Seed Is Viable

I have old packets of seeds. How can I tell if they are still viable?

Modern Life Is Messing With Our Microbiomes, But Science Is Fighting Back

It has gotten harder for people to get the needed exposure to good microbes—and the pandemic hasn’t helped. Here, eight ways scientists are working to restore this essential biological system.

Will flushing the toilet send aerosol particles to your toothbrush?

This study deemed ‘Operation Pottymouth’ tells all…

Your Toothbrush Reflects You, Not Your Toilet

Good news: The bacteria living on your toothbrush reflect your mouth—not your toilet.

You’re Thinking About Home Heating Wrong

Getting a heat pump is one of the easiest ways for homeowners to fight climate change.

Planting Trees Helps Fight Climate Change—But We Need Billions More Seedlings

The U.S. must more than double the production of seedlings to meet reforestation goals, researchers say.

Nearly Six-Foot-Long Glowing Shark Discovered In Deep Sea Off New Zealand

The kitefin shark is one of three species of glowing sharks described in a new paper.

Microbial Makers Help Humans To Build Tough Stuff

Researchers enlist bacteria to make a synthetic composite material that is more damage-resistant than its natural counterparts.

You Can’t Blame Cavities on Your Genes

You’re not doomed by genetics in tooth decay

You Can't Blame Tooth Decay On Your Genes, Twin Study Shows

If you're a frequent visitor to the dentist's chair, you may think you inherited bad teeth from your parents, but a new study of Australian twins shows you can't blame your genes for tooth decay.

Ancient Trees Show When The Earth's Magnetic Field Last Flipped Out

An ancient, well-preserved tree that was alive the last time the Earth's magnetic poles flipped has helped scientists pin down more precise timing of that event, which occurred about 42,000 years ago.

Winter Is Prime Time For Watching Bald Eagles—Here’s How

Recovered from near extinction, the U.S. national bird is now abundant and easy to see.

Is Protein Powder Bad For You? Nutritionists Weigh In.

Here's the scoop on whether the supplement you're adding to your smoothies and shakes is actually good for your health.

Prebiotics Are Exactly What You Need in Your Diet to Give Your Gut Health a Boost

Plenty of attention has been given to probiotics, and for good reason—the beneficial bacteria in your gut has been linked to a range of benefits, from better immunity to deeper sleep to a sunnier mood.

Permaculture, Cottage Core and Tiny Gardens

Here are the top 7 gardening trends of 2021.

Top Gardening Trends For 2021

We did a little "digging" and unearthed some wonderful ideas you'll see sprouting up this year. See the list!

Distinct Microbiome and Metabolites Linked with Depression

The gastrointestinal tracts of people with major depressive disorder harbor a signature composition of viruses, bacteria, and their metabolic products, according to the most comprehensive genomic and metabolomic analysis in depression to date.

Grizzlies Are Coming Back. But Can We Make Room For Them?

We call them "attacks;" bears see them as defense. Either way, human-grizzly interactions are on the rise.

My Favorite Beverage Is a 2,000-Year-Old Energy Drink From Ancient Rome

The Romans sure knew how to quench their thirst.

Our 14,400-Year-Old Relationship with Bread

Archaeological evidence from Jordan is challenging what we thought we knew about hunter–gatherer diets.

You’ve Got Mail.. It’s From Your Spinach

MIT scientists hack spinach to send e-mail

MIT Scientist Hack Spinach Plants To Send Emails

"This is a novel demonstration of how we have overcome the plant/human communication barrier."

Suppliers Field Growing Demand For Seeds From Pandemic Gardeners

Steve Larimore was hoping to triple the size of his garden this year. Once the seed catalog arrived at his home near Bend, Ore., Larimore excitedly got his order together.

Springtime Garden Soil Preparation

Even if conditions aren't yet right for planting, there's plenty to do this spring to get your garden ready.

Noise Pollution Interrupts Crickets’ Sex Lives

Anthropogenic noise is affecting the female cricket’s ability to hear the male’s courting song.

Cottagecore Was Just the Beginning

Aesthetics Wiki is the internet’s one-stop shop for figuring out whether your vibe is more “cactuscore” or “synthwave” or “pastel goth.”

Composting During Winter is Easier Than You Think

Try these tips with the All Seasons Indoor Composting Kit

Composting During Winter is Easier Than You Think

Here we are launching a new year, and in our part of the Midwest, January temperatures are bone-chilling cold with night-time temperatures expected in the single-digits this weekend.

Ridiculously Tiny Chameleons Discovered in Madagascar

Researchers have found a minuscule chameleon in Northern Madagascar, which they believe to be the smallest reptile on the planet. Small body, big attitude—just look at that face.

Could Probiotic Skincare Solve Your Maskne Woes?

When your skin is acting up, you tend to blame the most obvious culprit — which, in the year 2021, is your face mask.

Monitoring the Weather at the Edge of the World

Marsibil Erlendsdottir runs a farm and provides weather reports from a remote outpost in eastern Iceland. The job requires vigilance and an unfailing resolve.

These Are the Highest Resolution Photos Ever Taken of Snowflakes

Photographer and scientist Nathan Myhrvold has developed a camera that captures snowflakes at a microscopic level never seen before.

213 New Species Discovered in 2020

Still much of Earth’s diversity remains undiscovered

In 2020, Scientists Documented Hundreds Of New Species. Here Are A Few.

Most of life on Earth remains undiscovered.

Experts Agree On New Global Definition Of ‘Fermented Foods’

New publication clarifies the concept of fermented foods and specifies how they differ from probiotics Humans have consumed different types of fermented foods – from kimchi to yogurt – for thousands of years.

The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge Will Not Face Mass Oil Drilling—for Now

Large oil companies skipped out on the auction, but environmentalists say a worrisome precedent has been set

Chemicals Called SVOCs, Emitted From Household Objects, Are Altering Children’s Microbiomes

SVOCs are found in plastics, flooring, furniture, and more

‘Want To Eat More Fermented Foods? Here Are 20+ Recipes You’ve Got to Try.

Fermented foods like sauerkraut and kombucha have been in the limelight for their role in supporting healthy bacteria in your gut, but they are also just plain delicious.

January 3rd Edition

Healthy New Year

Wishing you health and renewal in 2021!

SCD Probiotics and its sister companies wish you a Happy, Healthy New Year.

For Healthy Skin, Just Add...Bacteria?

Just like your gut, your skin can benefit from the right balance of bacteria.

Probiotic Cocktail Recipes For The Holidays

Surely your feed is flooded with holiday recipes: hors d’oeuvres, beverages, and desserts.

ITO EN’s Creative Recycling Bin Educates Consumers How To Reuse PET Bottles With No Waste

Japanese people are great at recycling. According to the Council for PET Bottle Recycling of Japan, 593,000 tons of PET bottles were sold in 2019. 93% of them were collected and 85.8% were recycled.

‘There’s Good Fire And Bad Fire.’ An Indigenous Practice May Be Key To Preventing Wildfires

For thousands of years, North American tribes carefully burned forests to manage the land. The future may lie in a return to that past.

When Should You Take Your Probiotics?

Taking Probiotics At Night Could Make Them Way More Effective

Don't let bad timing nab the benefits.

Will Rising Temperatures Make Superweeds Even Stronger?

Widely used herbicides are struggling to kill some weeds. Some experts think heat could be part of the problem.

7 Awe-Inspiring Photos Show Jupiter And Saturn As 'Double Planet' In Great Conjunction

Stargazers have been getting a holiday treat this year as Jupiter and Saturn are appearing closer together than they have been since the Middle Ages, an astral phenomenon called the "Great Conjunction.

Home For The Holidays

Video-chat crosstalk, virtual babysitting, out-of-focus Webcams: a remotely celebrated holiday comes with its own challenges.

49 New Year's Eve Appetizers That Are Even Better Than The Booze

Let's get this party started.

What to do with all those old holiday leftovers? Compost them, of course!

4 Quick Tips For A Successful Bokashi Compost Bin

There are a few composting systems out there to choose from, but for both probiotic reasons and ease of use, we're partial to the bokashi compost bin method.

Distant Cousins Of Food Crops Deserve Respect And Protection

Hundreds of native North American plants, often dismissed as weeds, deserve a lot more respect, according to a new study.

Happy Small-idays: 37 Holiday Meals For Smaller Celebrations In 2020

Roasting a giant bird (your turkey, duck, or goose) or glazing a whole smoked ham are classic holiday moves for a reason. They’re delicious, obviously.

Four-Month-Old Ravens Rival Adult Great Apes In A Battle Of The Brains

In a series of cognitive tests, the corvids surprised scientists with their ability to interact with each other and with the world around them.

Sitting All Day? Just 11 Minutes Of Exercise A Day Can Help Reverse The Effects

Sitting is, indeed, quite bad for you. But moving is very good for you, even in small doses.

Are Home Disinfectants Making Our Kids Fat?

Could Household Disinfectants Be Making Our Children Fat?

Household disinfectants seem like such a good idea, especially when you have children — after all, children make messes, and killing germs helps keep children healthy, right? Not always, it turns out.

10 Good-News Stories For Wildlife In 2020

From ‘Tiger King’ prosecutions to new pangolin protections, not everything in 2020 has been doom and gloom.

5 Pieces Of Essential Life Advice From Seniors

Enjoy these insights from elders on the key ingredients for a good life, and get inspired to do your own interview with an older relative.

False Widow Spider Bites Can Transmit Harmful Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria

NUI Galway study, published in the international journal Scientific Reports, confirms that spiders carry harmful bacteria and that they can be transmitted when a spider uses its fangs to bite.

The Trick to Growing Your Own Avocado Plant

The first step is easy: eat an avocado and save the pit.

Meet the Microbes Living on Da Vincis Iconic Sketches

Meet the Microbes Living on Da Vinci’s Iconic Sketches

Think you’ve got an interesting microbiome? Your body ain’t got nothing on what’s accumulated on Leonardo’s drawings over 500 years.

The Ultimate Fashion Statement Of 2020? A Dress That Doubles As A Comforter

These dresses are an ode to life in lockdown.

New Research Says 'Flow' Is Crucial During The COVID-19 Pandemic

As the virus surges and we face pandemic fatigue, finding activities that put us in a state of mental "flow" may be essential for our mental health.

Spatial Maps Give New View Of Gut Microbiome

What microbes are in your gut, and where?

Your Brain Doesn't Work the Way You Think It Does

A conversation with neuroscientist Lisa Feldman Barrett on the counterintuitive ways your mind processes reality—and why understanding that might help you feel a little less anxious.

Household Chemical and Gut Microbe, Antibiotic Resistance, SCD Essential Probiotics

SCD Probiotics was selected to join the Japan Virtual Trade Event with Food Export-Midwest and Food Export-Northeast, and Japan’s leading publisher of prominent trade journals (Diamond Retail Media-DRM) to conduct a forum where a limited number of U.S. exporters (15) had an opportunity to showcase their products to 300 - 500 Japanese buyers interested in U.S. fine foods, including distributors, HRI operators, and retailers looking for U.S. specialty and gourmet products. Follow the link here: https://www.foodexport-jp.org/online-showcase/

Rediscovering American (Midwest / Northeast) Food!

We held an online showcase for retailers, wholesalers, trading companies, and manufacturers to introduce American foods, beverages, and pet foods that are growing in sales in response to consumer expectations, such as organic and gluten-free.

Connection Between Household Chemicals And Gut Microbiome

A team of researchers for the first time has found a correlation between the levels of bacteria and fungi in the gastrointestinal tract of children and the amount of common chemicals found in their home environment.

Research Looks At Aerobiomes, Trees And Implications For Public Health

Environmental microorganisms play an essential role in human health – the diverse the consortium, the better.

Antibiotic Resistance Is A Dangerous Consequence Of Our Tendency To Overuse Drugs

Drug-resistant campylobacter infects the digestive tract and causes about 310,000 infections per year.

Some Tropical Forests Show Surprising Resilience As Temperatures Rise

Scientists are finding that some percentage of tropical forests may hold up under global warming—if they’re not cut down.

Happy Holidays from SCD Probiotics!

Are you dreading post-Thanksgiving Dinner digestive issues? If so, we recommend trying SCD Essential Probiotics, our live, liquid probiotic that supports digestive and immune health†, promotes regularity, and relieves gas and bloating†. Now that’s something we can all be thankful for.

Are you anticipating any post-Thanksgiving digestive issues? If so, we recommend trying SCD Essential Probiotics, a live probiotic that Supports Healthy Digestive and Immune Health †, Promotes Regularity, Relieves Gas and Bloating †, and May Help Combat Traveler’s Diarrhea †. And it survives stomach acid 16x better than the leading brand

Learn More

Box Sets And Comfort Food Might Make You Feel Better, But A Few Routines Could Help Keep Your Body Happy

It might be boring, but setting a routine can reduce stress, ease anxiety and help you sleep.

How To Celebrate Thanksgiving During The Pandemic

Thanksgiving is right around the corner, and if you’re like me, you may be wondering how on earth you’re going to celebrate this year.

7 Simple Home Remedies To Help Battle Bloating

Home remedies for bloating include eating more fiber and less sodium, avoiding carbonated beverages, and adding more peppermint and probiotics do your diet.

Sedentary Pandemic Life Is Bad for Our Happiness

The times when we most want comfort and rest may paradoxically be the times we most need to move, for the sake of our well-being.

Bacteria-based Restaurant Serves Crunchy Fermented Crust, Metabolized Umami Stew, Cellular Dumplings

A new bacteria-based conceptual restaurant serves food derived from bacterial cultures and made solely through fermentation and molding techniques. The goal of the founder is to encourage people to think of themselves as “human bioreactors,” and to introduce new food chains to shift people away from a reliance on industrial agriculture. While this sounds interesting, we think it might be easier to just supplement your diet with liquid probiotics. The global probiotics market is expected to grow to $78.3 billion in 2026. (The market had a value of $47.1 billion in 2018.) Fermentation isn’t just a fad.

Kombucha Was Just The beginning. This Designer Wants To Create A Bacteria-Based Food Industry

The experience of eating out with friends looks very different these days, if it happens at all, due to social distancing measures. Designer Marek Glogowski, a recent graduate of Design Academy Eindhoven, wants to change the actual food you eat too.

The Tree That Could Help Stop the Pandemic

The rare Chilean soapbark tree produces compounds that can boost the body’s reaction to vaccines.

When Plants And Their Microbes Are Not In Sync, The Results Can Be Disastrous

Many of us have heard about inflammatory bowel disease, a debilitating condition that is associated with an abnormal collection of microbes in the human gut – known as the gut microbiome.

The Batteries Of The Future Are Weightless And Invisible

There’s a renaissance underway in structural battery research, which aims to build energy storage into the very devices and vehicles they power.

Top 10 Foods For Stress Relief

Feeling stressed? Instead of reaching for candy, try one of our top 10 foods for stress relief. There's no cure-all food to erase frustration, but you can get some stress relief by exercising and including more of these foods in your diet.

Showering Actually Disturbs Your Skin’s Microbiome

Showering daily is clean routine most American’s practice without a second thought. But what if it were actually bad for your skin? This physician and health reporter wants you to consider that there is a difference between the medical term ‘hygeine’ and the ‘clean rituals’ that use harsh products that strip our skin of healthy oil, bacteria, mites and fungi.

In The Era Of Hygiene, 'Clean' Author Makes The Case For Showering Less

Hamblin, a physician and health reporter, has been fielding the question since 2016, when the article he wrote about his decision to stop showering went viral.

Probiotics Usage Surged Mid-May, Levels In The US Expected To Stay High

Consumer usage of probiotic supplements in the US increased by 66% in May, compared to six months earlier, with daily usage also increasing, according to a new survey from DuPont Nutrition & Biosciences.

The Best Way to Wash Your Face Is Actually A 200-Year-Old Method

Washing your face seems rather foolproof, right? I mean, just grab some soap, lather between your palms, massage on, and rinse off.

Will Probiotics Replace Antibiotics In US Chickens?

The use of phytochemicals and probiotics in poultry are being trialled in the US as alternatives to antibiotics to promote healthy animals.

Why Sleep Experts Say It’s Time To Ditch Daylight Saving Time

Permanent standard time would be a better way to align with our natural circadian clock.

Probiotics Could Inhibit Killer Candida

Candida Auris is a superyeast infecting hospitals overrun with COVID-19 patients, potentially increasing mortality rates. This sticky superbug adheres to sheets, bed railings, doors, and medical devices and is resistant to anti-fungal drugs. However, recent studies show that probiotic yeasts, such as the ones contained in our products, have been found to inhibit the spread of multi-drug resistant Candida Auris.

Drug-Resistant Superbug Thriving In Hospitals Hit Hard By COVID-19

Doctors worry that a dangerous yeast, which can colonize a person’s skin without generating symptoms, is rising due to medical centers being overrun.

A Probiotic For Candidiasis?

Non-albicans Candida (NAC) species infections are of increasing concern owing to rises in complications associated with antifungal resistance, necessitating novel approaches for combating these fungal pathogens.

How To Make This Winter Not Totally Suck, According To Psychologists

This one idea may help you conquer the dread of pandemic winter.

People Are Wearing Dirtier Masks Than We Even Thought Possible

This survey may gross you out.

Planting A Garden Is Scientifically Proven To Make You Happier And Less Stressed

A recent study has found that having a front garden filled with plants increases happiness and reduces stress

Watch Bacteria Develop Antibiotic Resistance

And it doesn’t take long…

A Cinematic Approach To Drug Resistance

Scientists film bacteria’s maneuvers as they become impervious to drugs. In a creative stroke inspired by Hollywood wizardry, scientists from Harvard Medical School and Technion-Israel Institute of Technology have designed a simple way to observe how bacteria move as they become impervious to drugs.

Dueling Proteins Give Shape To Plants

In an elegant choreography, plants take cues from their environment and channel them into flowers, roots, or branches.

Cells Die In 2 Ways - Scientists May Have Found A Life-Extending Workaround

No buts about it, aging is a journey towards a universal destination: death. Though we all get there eventually, we don't always take the same route.

Box Sets And Comfort Food Might Make You Feel Better, But A Few Routines Could Help Keep Your Body Happy

It might be boring, but setting a routine can reduce stress, ease anxiety and help you sleep.

The Importance Of The Microbiome

The microbes that live on or in your body make up your microbiome — what microbiologist Martin Blaser of the NYU School of Medicine defines as “all the organisms that call us home, that live in us and that interact with each other and with ourselves.

Probiotics Improve Eczema in Kids

Your skin is your body’s largest organ. And if probiotics improve the function of your gut microbiome, it follows that beneficial microbes also play a key role in your skin’s health. In fact, clinical studies have reported that probiotics improve atopic eczema, atopic dermatitis, healing of burn and scars, rejuvenating the skin and also improving the skin's innate immunity. SCD Probiotics health supplements come in a liquid form that can be used for the whole family ages 3+. Try them topically on eczema or atopic dermatitis.

Probiotic Skin Therapy Improves Eczema In Children, Study Suggests

An experimental treatment for eczema that aims to modify the skin microbiome safely reduced disease severity and increased quality of life for children as young as 3 years of age, a National Institutes of Health study has found.

The Plight Of The Honeybee Can Get Leg Up Through A Healthy Gut

When it comes to an animal’s health, it doesn’t get much more important than what is going on in its gut.

Trees Are Time Machines

Arborists are planting trees today that must survive decades of global warming. The health, comfort, and happiness of city dwellers hang in the balance.

4 Things A GI Doc Prioritizes Every Morning For Good Gut Health

At mbg, we like to think about health holistically. In other words, a new chin breakout, lack of energy, and stomach bloat may all be caused by the same underlying issue.

How Exercise Can Boost Your Immune System

Working up a sweat at the gym does much more than build muscle and cardiovascular endurance. Here's how exercise and your immune system are connected.

Faeces is Always Part of the Delivery Process

Giving C-section infants fecal transplants mimics vaginal delivery

Fecal Transfer From Moms To Babies After C-Section: Trial Results

Tiny doses of maternal poo mixed with breast milk and given to Cesarean-born infants makes their gut microbiota resemble those of babies born vaginally.

Gut Reaction: How The Gut Microbiome May Influence The Severity Of COVID-19

The risk of severe COVID-19 infection is more common in those with high blood pressure, diabetes and obesity, conditions that are all associated with changes to the composition of the gut microbiome — the community of bacteria, viruses and fungi that live in the intestines.

Redesigning The Office For The Next 100-Year Flu (Yes, It's Coming)

Office designers are scrambling now to try to get more members of the workforce safely back to their desks. Clear plastic sneeze guards have become familiar, as have floors taped off at 6-foot increments.

In New Zealand, Microbes Are Extracting Gold From Electronic Waste

Cell phones, tablets, laptops, smartwatches: the modern world is packed with a dizzying array of gadgets that bring us connectivity, entertainment and information.

Diet By DNA: Is The Best Way To Eat Written In Your Genes?

Nutrigenomics companies that use genetic data to create diets are becoming more popular. But does matching diet to genes improve health?

Probiotics Could Have Significant Effect on Memory

Our probiotic supplements, SCD Essential Probiotics and SCD Herbal Probiotic, both contain the species associated with improved memory and cognition. Just another reason to take your daily dose of SCD Probiotics. Not only will you be supporting a healthy digestive system, you could be supporting cognitive function too.

New Molecular Insights Into How Gut Bacteria Influences Memory

New research from an international team of scientists has tracked a compelling series of connections between the gut microbiome and memory.

Friluftsliv: The Nordic Concept Of Getting Outdoors

Unwinding in the open air is so ingrained in the culture, some companies build it into the working week.

Sauerkraut Isn’t Actually from Germany: A Guide to the Probiotic Powerhouse

Learn about its history, health benefits, how to make it, and how to eat it.

Why Americans Really Go to the Gym

People lost more than fitness when their favorite gyms shut down.

Your “Expired” Milk Still Has So Much More to Give

In Basically on a Budget, we’ll talk tips, ingredients, and recipes that’ll help you save money and eat well.

Probiotics May Help Manage Childhood Obesity

Study shows weight loss, improved insulin sensitivity and reduced E. coli concentrations in kids

Probiotics May Help Manage Childhood Obesity, Study Finds

More than 340 million children and adolescents, globally, were overweight or obese in 2016, meaning they're at greater risk for obesity and disease later in life, and even early death.

What Is Hard Kombucha, And Is It Healthy? Here's What Nutritionists Say

Hard kombuchas are super trendy, but is the buzzy beverage actually good for you? Here's how it stacks up nutritionally.

How to Stop the Superbugs

Antibiotic-resistant bacteria could cause the next pandemic. Doctors need tools to fight them.

These Running Shoes Are Designed To Be 100% Recycled

When a new running shoe from the French company Salomon wears out, every single part of it can be reused.

The Corn of the Future Is Hundreds Of Years Old And Makes Its Own Mucus

This rare variety of corn has evolved a way to make its own nitrogen, which could revolutionize farming.

Ball of Bacteria Survived for 3 Years ... in Space!

It’s good news for proponents of panspermia, a theory that life is seeded throughout the galaxy by microbes riding on space rocks.

A Ball of Bacteria Survived for 3 Years ... in Space!

New research from the Japanese Tanpopo mission adds to scientists' understanding of how living organisms can endure the hostile environment.

Almonds Are Out. Dairy Is a Disaster. So What Milk Should We Drink?

A glass of dairy milk produces almost three times more greenhouse gas than any plant-based milk. But vegan options have drawbacks of their own.

Big Oil’s Hopes are Pinned on Plastics. It Won’t End Well

The industry’s only real source of growth probably won’t grow much.

What to Plant in September

Here’s what to plant before the season’s over!

Why Is It Illegal to Walk Freely in Most of the US?

Many places in Europe allow walking wherever one’s feet takes them, regardless of private property. In the US? Not so much.

Smog Towers That Make Diamonds

The air around the tower is 55 to 75 percent cleaner than the rest of the city

This Tower Sucks Up Smog And Turns It Into Diamonds

In one of the world’s most polluted cities, there’s a futuristic tower that sucks up smog, turns it into clean air, and filters out the smog particles so they can be turned into diamonds.

How One Lab Is Turning Algae Into Flip-Flops—And Taking On Big Plastic In The Process

Traditional plastic is terrible for the environment. This biodegradable plastic could be a solution.

Poor Neighborhoods Feel Brunt Of Rising Heat. Cities Are Mapping Them To Bring Relief

This summer volunteers are fanning out in 13 cities across the U.S. to — quite literally — take the temperature of their neighborhoods.

Solar Panels Are Starting to Die, Leaving Behind Toxic Trash

Photovoltaic panels are a boon for clean energy but are tricky to recycle. As the oldest ones expire, get ready for a solar e-waste glut.

What Does Boredom Do to Us—and for Us?

Humans have been getting bored for centuries, if not millennia. Now there’s a whole field to study the sensation, at a time when it may be more rampant than ever.

Amsterdam's Answer to 'Wild Peeing' Problem

Thanks to ‘GreenPees’ there was a 50% reduction in public urination

These Planter-Like Urinals Are Amsterdam's Answer To The Problem Of 'Wild Peeing'

The city of Amsterdam is going green in an attempt to combat an age-old problem -- public urination.

In Cities and Farms, Disease-Carrying Animals Thrive

When humans dominate wild land, disease-carrying animals take over and biodiversity suffers

Immunology Is Where Intuition Goes to Die

Which is too bad because we really need to understand how the immune system reacts to the coronavirus.

What Causes Bacterial Vaginosis?

Normally, when bacteria are spoken about in relation to health it’s presented as a negative thing.

Inventing New Tools To Peer Into The Gastrointestinal Tract

New sensors can reveal therapeutic targets, impact of probiotics

Team Lavender or Team Lemongrass?

Pick your probiotic team for a spectacular clean

Whether you are planning a deep clean or just tackling everyday messes, our probiotic cleaners are on your team. Powered by probiotics and post-biotics, these cleaners break down dirt, grease and grime for a microscopic-level clean. So, pick your probiotic team -- Lavender or Lemongrass – and put these cleaners to work on counters, surfaces, floors and everything in between.

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The Secret to Deep Cleaning

If you’ve been cooped up at home for a couple of months, it’s time to clean house — and not in a superficial way. Here’s how the pros do it.

39 Ways to Your Deepest Clean Yet: The Ultimate Fall Cleaning Checklist

Fireplaces, blankets, warm drinks… There is no doubt fall is the beginning of the home-y season.

If You Only Have One Exercise In Your Routine, Make It One Of These

Fitness pros share the workouts and moves they would do every day if they could.

Newly Identified Gut Cells Nurture Lymph Capillaries

Understanding the mechanisms that impair lymphatics growth and fat digestion in the small intestine still poorly understood.

Meet the Psychobiome Gut Bacteria that Alter How You Think Feel and Act

Gut bacteria can make and use nutrients and other molecules in ways the human body can’t

Meet The ‘psychobiome’: The Gut Bacteria That May Alter How You Think, Feel, and Act

Katya Gavrish is searching for new brain drugs in a seemingly unlikely place: human stool samples.

Which Bacteria Truly Qualify As Probiotics?

Today, the word probiotic is used to describe all kinds of “good” microorganisms in foods and supplements.

The Emotionally Intelligent Way To Cope With Pandemic Stress

Thinking in terms of a journey rather than a destination can help virus survivors and healthcare providers cope with post-traumatic stress.

Windows-Down Driving Dramatically Increases Exposure To Air Pollution

This is just another example of how being poor can be really bad for your health.

Stop Tossing Your Banana Peel on the Trail

That "organic litter" you just threw? It'll still be around in a year.

Microbiome-friendly Probiotic Cleaners

For a safe, natural, microscopic-level clean

We loved getting this postcard from Taiwan, where the Missouri Dept. of Agriculture is showcasing our Probiotic Cleaning Products. Proudly made in Kansas City, USA. Shop these and bring a little probiotic love and essential oil magic to your home.

Ancient Microbes in the "Deadest" Part of Earth Redifine Boundaries of Life

Imagine you're running a 5K race — but instead of a route that loops, you run the distance in a straight line from start to finish.

1,000-Year-Old Medieval Remedy Could Be Potential Antibiotic, Scientists Say

Antibiotic resistance is real. In the years to come, we may no longer be able to treat and cure many of the infections we once could as bacteria outsmart our most sophisticated drugs.

These 4 Covid-19 Vaccines Are Closest to Becoming Reality

There are hundreds of trials currently in the works. Here’s everything you need to know about the ones edging ahead in the global race.

Is Recycling Broken? Don’t Toss It Out Yet, Say Insiders.

Up the hill from Kevin Roche’s office, trash trucks clank and grind into a gaping warehouse, disgorging to conveyor belts the flotsam of modern households: bottles drunk, papers crumpled, plastic wrappers tossed, laundry cartons drained.

During Quarantine What Happens to Your Microbiome?

Without direct contact with others your microbiome will change.

What Quarantine Is Doing to Your Body’s Wondrous World of Bacteria

The germs, fungi and mites that grow on our hands, face, armpits and elsewhere have become stranded during the age of social distancing.

How Antibiotics And A High-Fat Diet Can Drive Gut Inflammation

Robust new research is suggesting a high-fat diet and antibiotic use work together synergistically to promote the type of gut microbiome imbalance that can lead to bowel inflammation.

How To Feed The World Without Destroying The Planet

The world’s population will hit 10 billion in 2050. A new report offers solutions for how more food can be grown sustainably.

You May Be Using Hand Sanitizer All Wrong

Quickly squirting it into your hands isn't effective against COVID-19.

The Microbes In Your Gut Could Predict Whether You’re Likely To Die In The Next 15 Years

The microbes in our guts have been linked to everything from arthritis to autism. Now, scientists say they can even tell us about our future health.

Probiotics Relieve Depression

New review of medical literature suggests that probiotics could help ease depression

Can probiotics help with depression? New research suggests a link

A gut-wrenching experience. Butterflies in your stomach.

Blood from fit mice bestows brain benefits of exercise

Workouts rejuvenate the brains of old mice — but so does plasma from well-conditioned rodents.

Probiotic Bifidobacterium breve in Improving Cognitive Functions of Older Adults with Suspected Mild Cognitive Impairment

Probiotics use has been associated with modulation of inflammation and considered as a possible intervention for CNS diseases such as mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and dementia.

Could Manipulating the Microbiome of Artworks Prevent Their Decay?

Treating the microbial community residing on a painting with probiotics may offer a way to stave off biodegradation, a study suggests.

82 Healthy Summer Recipes to Make Over and Over Again

These healthy recipes are our song of the summer.

Are Solar Farms the Clean Energy We Need?

The fierce fight over the use of public lands grows in intensity.

Can solar farms and wild places coexist in the American West?

My first impression of the Desert Sunlight solar farm was that it was staggeringly big.

The Accidental Invention of the Slip ‘N Slide

A young boy’s summer antics 60 years ago inspired his father to create the timeless backyard water toy.

Your Firework Smoke Could Be Tainted With Lead

It may be the most unpatriotic toxicology study ever, but so be it: Metals give fireworks their color, but some manufacturers are slipping in toxins.

What to Plant in July (Because It’s Not too Late to Start Gardening)

As the steamy month of July begins, a lot of gardeners concentrate their efforts on caring for and maintaining their existing gardens—not adding more plants.

The Not-So-Simple Life

The farm-to-table frenzy has thousands of urbanites trading in their desks for the idylls of agriculture. But one eager young couple learns the hard way that organic utopia is easier dreamed than achieved.

Create a More Sustainable Home + Composting with Kids

CEO Matt Wood shares his best tips with Modern Wellness Guide

CEO Matt Wood sits down with Modern Wellness Guide to share his best tips for building a more sustainable home. Learn how to avoid the overwhelm, take the actions that have the most impact on your health and the planet’s, and include your kids as part of the process.

How You Can Make a More Sustainable Home Through Composting

Matt Wood, founder and CEO of SCD Probiotics, discusses the benefits of composting in making a green home.

Mandatory Composting in New York? It Could Happen

A proposal would make organic waste recycling available to all, then eventually require it. Critics say it would be expensive.

Biologists Are Somehow Discovering A Ton Of New Species In Quarantine

Biologists: They’re just like us. Like everyone else, they’ve had to work from home during the ongoing global pandemic.

This Coronavirus Doesn't Change Quickly, And That's Good News For Vaccine Makers

Scientists are monitoring the virus that causes COVID-19 for genetic changes that could make a vaccine ineffective. But so far, they're not seeing any.

Gyms Reopening May Not Facilitate Coronavirus Infections, Study Finds

Several European countries that allowed fitness facilities to reopen haven’t reported any associated uptick in Covid-19 cases.

Should COVID Patients Be Given Probiotics?

These researchers found COVID-19 patients suffer prolonged Gut Dysbiosis

How Covid-19, Gut Microbiota, Lung Immunity, And Probiotics Interact

Gut dysbiosis is linked to poor Covid-19 outcome and virus clearance and is prolonged after recovery.

How Some Probiotic Scientists Are Working To Address COVID-19

With the global spread of COVID-19, the scientific community has experienced an unusual interruption.

Ancient Bones Offer Clues To How Long Ago Humans Cared For The Vulnerable

Geneticists have discovered that a baby buried almost 4,000 years ago had the extra chromosome that causes Down syndrome by analyzing DNA preserved in his skeleton.

These Bacteria Ate Their Way Through A Really Tricky Maze

Microbes are well known for working together in stressful environments. Scientists wanted to see how they would fare at a labyrinthine brain teaser.

Our Masked Future

Wearing a mask all the time affects how we interact with each other. But how?

Turning Bottles Into Face Shields

Plastic recyclers in Uganda pivot to respond to the pandemic

This Ugandan Startup Turns Plastic Waste Into Construction Materials And COVID Face Shields

Takataka Plastics is trying to build a local market for recycling—and has quickly pivoted to pandemic response.

Farmers Find Ways To Save Millions Of Pigs From Being Euthanized

A month ago, America's pork farmers were in crisis. About 40 percent of the country's pork plants were shut down because they had become hot spots of coronavirus infection.

The Dirty History of Soap

Today, soap is an integral part of keeping clean. But in the past, people relied on earlier forms of soap more for cleaning objects than for personal hygiene.

10,000 Steps a Day Is a Myth. The Number to Stay Healthy Is Far Lower.

While the target has become a default goal for fitness trackers, significant health benefits accrue at much lower levels

A Probiotic for Corals

Marine researchers at the University of Hawaii and San Diego State University are studying the use of coral probiotics, much like human probiotics, to help coral reefs in their microscopic battles for health.

Jazz Hands, Peace Signs, Air High-fives, and Finger Guns

How greetings are going germ-free in the virus age

No-Touch Greetings Take Off: People Are Getting Creative About Saying 'Hi'

The way the world says hello is changing. Quickly.

This Japanese Aquarium Wants You Fo FaceTime Its Shy Eels

With much of the world's human population stuck at home during the coronavirus pandemic, one Japanese aquarium is exploring a new way to ensure its inhabitants don't get too used to the peace and quiet.

Does The Placenta Have A Bacterial Microbiome?

A few years ago, the medical community was in a bit of a tizzy over a scientific report that the human placenta has its own microbiome–a complex mixture of bacteria that maybe, just maybe, affected the health of newborn babies.

With Trails Opening, Is It Safe—Or Ethical—To Go Hiking This summer?

As national parks and forests begin welcoming visitors, some backcountry resort communities are bracing for increased coronavirus exposure.

'Dead' Probiotic Bacteria Could Help Ease Irritable Bowel

Probiotic supplements containing "killed" bacteria might help some people with irritable bowel syndrome find relief, a new study suggests.

The Virus That Changed Everything

The crisis is compressing and accelerating trends that would have taken decades to play out

Our Economy Was Just Blasted Years Into the Future

The crisis is compressing and accelerating trends that would have taken decades to play out

It's Time For A Fashion Industry Reset

British and American fashion councils are both calling for a slower style of business.

Bumblebees Bite Plants To Make Them Flower Early, Surprising Scientists

How it actually works remains a mystery, but if replicated by humans, it could be a boon for agriculture.

Secrets Of The Soil: A Newly Discovered Microbe Builds Understanding Of Soil Ecosystems

In the words of Franklin D Roosevelt, ‘A nation that destroys its soil destroys itself.’ Soils harbour a complex diversity of microbes that cycle atmospheric carbon and nutrients to support plant growth.

Wait, So How Much of the Ocean Is Actually Fished?

One prominent study said 55 percent, its critics say 4 percent, and they both used the same data.

Could Gut Microbes Solve Food Allergies?

Some Researchers Think Your Microbiome is the Key to Your Immunity

Could Gut Microbes Be Key To Solving Food Allergies?

New therapeutics are testing whether protective bacteria can dampen harmful immune responses to food.

Inside Earth, Microbes Approach Immortality

Mostly dead is slightly alive

The Microbes That Live With Us From Cradle To Grave

Inside your body there are trillions of microscopic organisms: bacteria, viruses, fungi and archaea - collectively known as the microbiota.

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Statin Drugs Might Boost Healthy Gut Microbes

An analysis of faecal samples reveals that obese people who take cholesterol-lowering statin drugs have a ‘healthier’ community of gut microorganisms than would be expected.

Neuroscience Says Doing This 1 Thing Makes You Just as Happy as Eating 2,000 Chocolate Bars

It also gives you the same neurological boost as receiving $25,000.

Dogs Roam the Streets and Rhinos Are At Risk

How are animals faring during coronavirus lockdowns

The Coronavirus Lockdown Is A Threat For Many Animals, Not A Blessing

You may have seen recent videos of goats roaming an empty town. But for more vulnerable species, like rhinos, this shutdown poses a great danger.

'The Call Has Been Answered': Animal Shelters Across The U.S. Are Emptying Amid Coronavirus Pandemic

People forced to wait out coronavirus at home are adopting and fostering shelter dogs and cats to keep them company. The shelters are thrilled.

Amid The World’s Strictest Lockdown, People Who Feed Stray Dogs Are Now Deemed Essential

Millions of India's street animals—including monkeys and cows—are going hungry, but Good Samaritans are venturing outside during the pandemic to feed them.

Fruit Flies Farm Their Own Probiotics

The role of the microbiome is increasingly recognized as part of wellbeing. The most diverse and significant bacteria community is located in the intestines.

Can We Survive Extreme Heat?

Humans have never lived on a planet this hot, and we’re totally unprepared for what’s to come.

Probiotics Could Replace Disinfectants in Hospitals, Reducing Pathogens Naturally

New Italian research shows probiotic cleaners out-perform bleach

Recent research has shown that rather than eliminating all the microbes, it can be more advantageous and effective to replace ‘bad’ microbes with ‘good’ ones to preserve health. There is potential for probiotic cleaners to do just that in hospitals, schools, and homes. New research out of Italy shows an 83% reduction in surface pathogens such as Staphylococcus spp., Enterobacteriaceae spp., Acinetobacter spp., Mycetes, Pseudomonas spp., Clostridium difficile when using a probiotic cleaner containing Bacillus spp compared to chemical-based cleaning strategies such as bleach. Additionally, the probiotic-based cleansing system demonstrated little to no impact on worsening the risk of antibiotic resistance, which is a common issue associated with chemical-based cleansers.

Introducing our new Probiotic All-Purpose Cleaning Concentrate. A little of this sustainable concentrate goes a long way because its hard-working probiotics + postbiotics do the dirty work of cleaning for you. They break down and eat up grime, dirt, and odors—leaving behind a microscopic clean and the light, natural scent of essential oils.

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Hospital-acquired infections: could probiotics and phages replace disinfectants?

Combining probiotics with bacteriophages could improve hospital sanitation practices by eliminating drug-resistant pathogens.

Probiotic-Based Sanitation Reduces Hospital Infections Better Than Chlorine

The Probiotic Cleaning Hygiene System (PCHS), a microbial-based decontamination strategy which is comprised of detergents that contain spores of Bacillus probiotics...

Environmental Probiotics: Creating Healthy Indoor Workspaces

In a separate study, a probiotics system was installed at eight strategic zones (including a sitting room, recovery room, and waiting room) within a medical center in Israel.

Moms: Your Kids Hijacked Your Brain for Life

One day, a woman is spending her Saturdays doing her normal Saturday stuff—blueberry pancake brunch, curling up on the couch with the cat reading a novel, grabbing a beer with friends.

SCD Probiotics Turns 22, Plus Quarantine Camping

How to Enjoy Summer Without Traveling Anywhere

SCD Probiotics Celebrates 2 Decades

We are 22 years old this week! And more grateful than ever for the support throughout this 2 decade+ journey.

SCD Probiotics was founded in 1998, with a mission to create products that not only replace the toxic chemicals in our lives, but help undo their damage as well—using the power of probiotics to restore health and balance to our soil, our food, our bodies, our homes, and our planet. When you choose SCD Probiotics, you’re joining our call to a healthy, probiotic revolution for all.

And we’re so happy to have you with us! We’ve achieved some incredible things on our way to this birthday. Here are just a few of our favorite moments:

Building an incredible global community
The first time we cultured and banked our own microbes
Launching Proviera to replace leather tanning chemicals with our probiotic biochemicals
Receiving the Missouri Governor’s Award for Exporter of the Year
Gathering with so many of our partners to share knowledge and success at our 1st international probiotics conference

We can’t wait to keep spreading this probiotic revolution with you all! Looking forward to 22 more

Are We On The Verge Of Camping's Golden Age?

It's a form of travel that is socially distant, cheap, and well-ventilated. Travel will look different once this pandemic concludes.

Throw Your Kids A Quarantine Campout

Set up a tent, turn off your screens, and enjoy some family bonding—without leaving home.

Our Pandemic Summer

The fight against the coronavirus won’t be over when the U.S. reopens. Here’s how the nation must prepare itself.

If You’re Trying To Decide What Food To Grow Yourself, Here Are 8 Places To Start

I don’t love gardening. I know some people find it therapeutic, or at least relaxing.

How Farmers Are Faring Amid Coronavirus

Farms are considered essential businesses but those that grow higher-value, specialized crops face a number of hurdles.

The Effects Of COVID-19 Will Ripple Through Food Systems

Staple crops are likely to be less affected by measures to control the virus, but farmers growing more specialized ones could feel the pinch.

Trouble In Farm Country Because Of Covid-19

Recognition of the Covid-19 threat to the food supply and its workers has followed a peculiar sequence -- from table to farm.

The Yeast Supply Chain Can’t Just Activate Itself

There’s a reason the ingredient is still missing from stores.

The World’s Oldest Leavened Bread Is Rising Again

This is the story behind the breads you might be baking in lockdown.

‘Zoom Fatigue’ Is Taxing The Brain. Here's Why That Happens.

Video calls seemed an elegant solution to remote work, but they wear on the psyche in complicated ways.

Sourdough Libraries and Microbe Catalogs

Take a peek at some of the biggest bacteria collections around

At the Sourdough Library, With Some Very Old Mothers

In these housebound times, Americans have gone stark baking mad. Shut-ins are channeling their anxieties into pandemic pastries and quarantine cookies, some with icing piped in the shape of surgical masks, others frosted with the face of Dr. Anthony Fauci. Baking essentials such as yeast and flour are in short supply, and Google searches for bread recipes are on the rise, so to speak.

Engineered Virus Might Be Able to Block Coronavirus Infections, Mouse Study Shows

No vaccines exist that protect people against infections by coronaviruses, including SARS-CoV-2, which causes COVID-19, or the ones that cause SARS and MERS.

Slideshow: Scads of Microbes Now Stored at Scripps

After the Scripps Research Institute in Florida had new facilities installed to accommodate a massive microbial biobank it inherited from Pfizer, chemist Ben Shen eagerly welcomed the resource.

Scientists Discover Plastic-Munching Microbe in Waste Site

The bacterial strain can break down some of the toxic components of polyurethane plastic

Why Boredom Affects Us So Much

If being isolated at home is starting to feel like your own personal prison, it’s because tedium is also used as a severe form of carceral punishment.

Probiotic Biochemicals are Reducing Leather’s Synthetic Chemical Use

In the leather industry, petrochemicals are used heavily—but groundbreaking renewable biochemicals like Proviera’s can lead the way for the industry to “decarbonize.”

Proviera at the Forefront of Chemical Industry Decarbonization

Proviera’s groundbreaking biotechnology was featured in a recent International Leather Maker (ILM) webinar on bio-based chemicals for the leather industry. The overall chemical industry currently emits 7% of global greenhouse gases (GHG)—and is currently on track to continue to rise. Proviera’s renewable, probiotic biochemicals are at the forefront of enabling the leather industry to not only “decarbonize” by replacing some of the synthetic chemicals currently used, but also significantly reduce the amount of wastewater produced.

Watch it here

Coronavirus: Known COVID-19 Symptoms, How To Respond, And How To Support Your Immune System Natually

New research is emerging that shows while dry chest cough, fever, and shortness of breath remain the primary COVID-19 symptoms, there are other telltale symptoms as well—including digestive and stomach upset symptoms that were seen in over half of the cases in a newly-released study of China’s earliest 200 patients. Find out what you need to know about these new known symptoms, as well as advice for managing these symptoms.

Why Stress-Baking and Cleaning Make You Less Anxious

You're not the only one who finds #quarantinebaking so soothing. Turns out, it has a lot to do with the neuroscience of mindful meditation. MICAH BUCEY IS surprised by how well guided meditations work over Zoom. Bucey, an associate minister at New York’s Judson Memorial Church, usually leads in-person meditations once a week. But since the coronavirus outbreak, Bucey’s gone digital. “I actually am quite taken by how intimate Zoom feels,” says Bucey, who now leads about 30 participants through guided breathing...

We Can’t Save the Rainforest Without Rainforest Animal Poop

Large, intact forests are crucial for stabilizing the climate. And the fruit-eating, seed-dispersing animals that live there are crucial too.

Detailed Map Shows How Viruses Infect Humans

Biologists at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons have leveraged a computational method to map protein-protein...

Plant a Victory Garden and Grow Your Own

Fearing shortages, Americans are planting vegetable gardens

Fearing Shortages, People Are Planting More Vegetable Gardens

People still struggle to find food at grocery stores during this pandemic, but Jameson Altott is not as worried. He grows more than half the food for his family from his large garden at home, outside Pittsburgh.

Food Supply Anxiety Brings Back Victory Gardens

Americans were once urged to plant in every patch of available soil — and produced about 40 percent of the nation’s fresh vegetables.

Exponential Growth And Epidemics

Some have (quite rightfully) commented on how you shouldn't look at the R^2 of linear regressions on cumulative data since even if the changes...

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Carbon Emissions Are Falling Sharply Due To Coronavirus. But Not For Long.

CO2 emissions are crashing as the world winds down, but experts say the drop won’t last if governments don’t start moving to cleaner energy.

How Sewage Could Reveal True Scale Of Coronavirus Outbreak

Wastewater testing could also be used as an early-warning sign if the virus returns. More than a dozen research groups worldwide have started analysing wastewater for the new coronavirus...

Spring Cleaning Boosts Your Mood

Research shows that soil bacteria have antibiotic and anti-inflammatory properties

The Potential Mind-Altering, Life-Extending Benefits Of Spring Cleaning

"I'm gonna wash that man right outta my hair," sings Nellie, the female lead in the 1958 film version of the classic musical "South Pacific," as she showers her hair squeaky clean.

Your Ultimate Spring-Cleaning Checklist

Martha offers her best advice for achieving a spotless home—and how to keep the process manageable—this spring in beyond.

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The Best Places In The U.S. To See Spring’s Migrating Birds

Get out your binoculars—birds are making their annual trek north.

The Reason You’re Exhausted Is ‘Moral Fatigue’

Every small decision feels like it carries the weight of life and death — and it’s starting to take a toll

Scientists Say Your “Mind” Isn’t Confined to Your Brain, or Even Your Body

Exploring how the mind extends beyond the physical self.

Stuck at home? Why not plant a garden!

Research shows that soil bacteria have antibiotic and anti-inflammatory properties

As more and more Americans are home-bound this spring due to social distancing and city lockdowns, many people are focusing on home and garden projects to enrich their time at home. So, if you’ve got the time why not invest in growing your own food or planting a butterfly or bee garden? Research has shown that adding organic matter to the soil is good for your garden but that it may initially reduce the number of beneficial bacteria colonies. So when you prep your spring soil, don’t forget the supplementary microbes!

Planting Calendar: When To Plant Vegetables

Find the best dates for planting vegetables and fruit in your garden! Our free planting calendar calculates the best time to start seeds indoors and outdoors, as well as when to plant young plants outside.

Lost In translation: Organic Matter Cuts Plant-Microbe Links

Soil scientists from Cornell and Rice University have dug around and found that although adding carbon organic matter to agricultural fields is usually advantageous, it may muddle the beneficial underground communication between legume plants and microorganisms.

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Healthy, Stress-Busting Fat Found Hidden In Dirt

Thirty years after scientists coined the term "hygiene hypothesis" to suggest that increased exposure to microorganisms could benefit health, CU Boulder researchers have identified an anti-inflammatory fat in a soil-dwelling bacterium that may be responsible.

What You Should Know About Your Pets, COVID-19, And Supporting Dog Immune Systems

Most of us consider our pets part of our families, so it makes sense that in the midst of this coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic, we have questions about our pets’ health too—starting with, can dogs get coronavirus? Should I be worried about my pet getting sick or needing quarantine?

How the Coronavirus Pandemic Is Affecting CO₂ Emissions

Reports from Italy detail the grim reality of a nation on lockdown. All businesses but pharmacies and food stores have shut their doors. Airlines are canceling flights, and roadblocks prevent people from leaving or entering some towns.

Is Your Soil Alive or Dead? Try the ‘Soil Your Underwear’ Test and Find Out

Bury a pair of cotton underwear and in two weeks you should see this…

Until recently, we didn’t know how much life and activity was present in soil. Scientists and ag experts thought soil was merely made up of minerals and organic matter. But all that is changing. We now realize that the soil microbiome aids in reducing erosion and pollutants and conserving water. And these microbes may also communicate directly with our cells and boost the nutrient content of food. So you may want to bury a pair of underwear in your garden. If nothing happens, you might consider boosting your soil with microbial supplementation.

Uncovering How Microbes In The Soil Influence Our Health And Our Food

When Bill Robertson, a soil scientist at the University of Arkansas, wants to check whether a field is healthy, he doesn’t reach for some high-tech gadget. He grabs a pair of men’s 100 percent cotton underwear.

Exclusive Early Access For Our Newsletter Subscribers

Be the first to try our latest product: Probiotic-Powered Cleaning Wipes. Made with food-grade ingredients and scented only with Certified Organic Lavender Essential Oil, our cleaning wipes are safe to use around food, babies, kids, and pets—no rinse required. Plus they’re durable and certified as home compostable for convenient, effective natural cleaning without the guilt. Pre-order at the link—wipes will be shipping out within the next 2 weeks.

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10 Weird Intensive Gardening Methods That Really Work

There are so many different ways to garden that it would be hard to even list them all.We put together this grouping of ten different intensive gardening methods that make the most out of your gardening space, so that you can grow the most food possible with the least amount of hassle. Have you tried any of these methods? If so, leave a comment at the bottom and tell us about your results!

The Shortages May Be Worse Than The Disease

Over the centuries, societies have shown a long history of making the effects of epidemics worse and furthering their own destruction. Every day, new evidence emerges of the havoc that COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, is wreaking all around a thoroughly globalized world.

Does The Type Of Soap Or Hand Sanitizer You Use Matter For Coronavirus?

Tons of cleaning and sanitization products are selling out amid the COVID-19 outbreak, including hand soap, hand sanitizer, dish soap and cleaning wipes. But which of these products will best help protect you from contracting the novel...

Organic waste doesn’t just stink… it’s climate poison.

How one country is composting its way to sustainability

How South Korea Is Composting Its Way To Sustainability

Automated bins, rooftop farms, and underground mushroom-growing help clean up the mess.

Is A World Without Trash Possible?

The vision of a “circular economy”—where we use resources sparingly and recycle endlessly—is inspiring businesses and environmentalists alike. IN AMSTERDAM I met a man who revealed to me the hidden currents of our lives—the massive flows of raw materials and products deployed, to such wonderful and damaging effect, by 7.7 billion...

Food From Thin Air: The Forgotten Space Tech That Could Feed Planet Earth

Forgotten for half a decade, a microbial recipe for sustaining astronauts on long space missions might not only feed hundreds of millions of hungry people on Earth, but also hold the key to a truly carbon neutral, circular economy.

To Build Rich And Beautiful Soil, Layer Your Yard With Cardboard (Seriously!)

Lasagna mulching is kind of a miracle, the closest thing to an easy fix for lousy garden soil, suppressing weeds and rebuilding our disappearing topsoil.

How To Grow Your Own Sponge: Luffa

Luffa or Loofah...no matter the spelling, these make the best skin smoothing exfoliators in the shower and natural dish scrubbers in the kitchen! Raise your hand if you believe they come from the sea... No judgement here, most people believe them...

The Future is Bright for Vertical Farming

Plus VR for Russian Cows and Mining Plants for Metals

The ways we grow and choose food are changing – the ugly food movement, aquaponics, and vertical farming to name a few. Vertical farming stacks plants vertically in containers or warehouses and is often soilless and involves various techniques, such as hydroponics, which uses mineral nutrient solutions in a water solvent; aquaponics, which uses aquatic creatures -- such as fish and snails -- and cultivates plants in water; and aeroponics, which grows plants in the air. There is significant potential for beneficial microbes in all of these soilless environments to improve production and plant health.

Elon Musk's Brother Wants To Transform Farming

Plant-based foods are all the rage right now, and vertical farms are capitalizing on the trend. Vertical farming is an indoor farming method in which crops are grown in stacked layers, often without soil.

How Aquaponics, A.K.A. Fish Poop, Can Grow Food Using Less Water And Land

Aquaponics is helping farmers figure out how to feed a world population expected to reach nearly 10 billion by 2050. Today, surrounded by freezing temperatures, thousands of heads of lettuce...

Russian Dairy Farmers Gave Cows VR Goggles With Hopes They Would Be Happier And Make Better Milk

The technology is changing industries that many people had never thought it would, such as, *checks notes*, dairy farming?

Down on the Farm That Harvests Metal From Plants

Hyper-accumulating plants thrive in metallic soil that kills other vegetation, and botanists are testing the potential of phytomining. Some of Earth’s plants have fallen in love with metal. With roots that act practically like magnets, these organisms...

Apple, Amazon, And The Rest Of Big Tech All Have A Lot To Learn From The Green New Deal

It’s vital to cut carbon emissions. But tech companies have a responsibility to go a lot further than that—and the ability to do so.

Now Trending: Regenerative Agriculture’s Food Revolution

More than just an organic certification, regenerative ag means taking into consideration the long-term health of the soil.

Regenerative Agriculture is a soil-focused farming practice that Whole Foods says is the #1 food trend in 2020. More than just an organic certification, regenerative ag means taking into consideration the long-term health of the soil. And soil health, it turns out, is critically tied to the microbial life contained in it. After decades of soil erosion and depletion, many farmers (and Big Food corporations like General Mills) are taking notice of this movement.

Can Regenerative Agriculture Reverse Climate Change? Big Food Is Banking On It.

Regenerative agriculture works to draw carbon out of the atmosphere and into the soil, but there’s an ongoing debate on how much carbon can be stored there and for how long.

Why You Need To Know About Regenerative Agriculture

Why companies as diverse as Patagonia and General Mills are suddenly focused on getting dirty.

To Restore Our Soils, Feed The Microbes

Our soils are in trouble. Over the past century, we’ve abused them with plowing, tilling and too...

Farmers Could Help Solve The Climate Crisis—We Just Don’t Invest In Them

When the first Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) land use report was released by the United Nations in 2000, cities like Copenhagen and countries like Costa Rica did not have public...

Is A Diet That's Healthy For Us Also Better For The Planet? Most Of The Time, Yes

Almonds and other nuts are often touted as healthy snacks, because they can help you maintain a healthy weight and are linked to a lower risk of heart disease and Type 2 diabetes.

More Than Just A Carnival Trick: Researchers Can Guess Your Age Based On Your Microbes

Our microbiomes—the complex communities of microbes that live in, on and around us—are influenced by our diets, habits, environments and genes, and are known to change with age.

Scientists Find A Possible Link Between Gut Bacteria And Depression

A new study identifies bacteria in the microbiome that could produce neurotransmitters and potentially influence activity in the brain...

The Surprising Way Your Brain And Gut Are Connected

Can your microbiome affect your risk of mental illness? Experts weigh in. These days, it feels like everyone and their mom takes probiotics for digestive...

Can The Gut Microbiome Unlock The Secrets Of Aging?

A new study has shown how the gut microbiota of older mice can promote neural growth in young mice, leading to promising developments...

Can Disease-Sniffing Dogs Save the World’s Citrus?

Once trained, canines can detect citrus greening disease earlier and more accurately than current diagnostics

Coronavirus May Transmit Via Digestive Tract

Your microbiome plays a big part in your resistance to viruses -- so does hand-washing.

Coronavirus May Transmit Along Fecal-Oral Route, Xinhua Reports

The coronavirus that’s infected more than 14,000 people in two dozen countries may be transmitted through the digestive tract, Chinese state media reported.

How Certain Bacteria Protect Us Against Flu

A new study brings us closer to an anti-flu probiotic pill. By subtly altering the bacteria in our nose...

20 Seconds To Optimize Hand Wellness

One of the world’s most crucial and selfless acts is still simply washing your hands.

16 Chicken Soups That Push the Envelope

et's face it: It's really hard to not like chicken noodle soup; it's really hard not to crave it when the tips of our noses start to get cold outside, when we're feeling tired and sniffly, when we're...

The Mammals That Most Freely Share Dangerous Microbes With Humans

Scientists identify two primate species as hosts of a high number of pathogens that can jump to Homo sapiens.

Digestion Slows in the Winter 🧥

What You Can Do To Keep Things Moving - Winter Gut Health Issue

As we crawl into February, there's no mistaking it: were in the throes of winter now, with its short, grey days, freezing temperatures, dry skin, and sniffles. Everything feels a little slower-from time to, yep, digestion. This week we take a look at how to keep those moving by examining emerging connections between diet and gut health, as well as winter's best offerings to both delight in the food of the season and keep your gut healthy.

Produce Guide: Winter

We often bemoan the lack of fresh produce at this time of year, but the truth is that despite the grey days and colder temperatures, winter boasts plenty of seasonal delights.

'Largest' Microbiome Study Weighs In On Our Gut Health

The first results of the largest study to have ever investigated the human microbiome are in. They have important implications for our dietary...

SCD Probiotics Staffers Share Their Best, Gut-Healthy Oatmeal Recipes

We're an office full of gut health lovers, so it's no surprise that we've got an arsenal of warming...

Your Gut Bacteria May Make It Harder to Lose Weight

For some people on a diet, the pounds just seem to fall off, while others have a much harder time...

Benefits of Drinking Hot Water

Drinking hot water can provide your body with the water it needs to replenish fluids. It can also improve digestion, relieve congestion...

Miracle Microbes: Seven Types Of Bacteria Fuelling Our Future

Microbes and disease go hand in hand, but bacteria sometimes get a bad rep - check out the fascinating ways we're using microorganisms to solve big problems.