Environmental Health Center

EnvironMinute Health Scripts

Snorkeling along a coral reef is like peering into a watery rain forest, but lots of scientists don't snorkel for the scenery. Searching for cures from the ocean's treasure chest on today's EnvironMinute. [:12]

Many bacteria are developing resistance to the antibiotics we commonly use, so scientists are always on the look-out for new sources of drugs to fight bacteria and disease. Some researchers suspect that rotting driftwood, underwater weeds, and ocan-bottom dirt could harbor undiscovered super-drugs -- like here on land, where the yew tree gave us the breat cancer drug, taxol. Researchers are studying marine like for clues. For instance, if a creature has no bacteria or algae growing on it, there's a good chance it's protecting itself with a chemical, and that chemical could prove to be a medical wonder drug. [:37]

The EnvironMinute is produced in cooperation with the National Safety Council and made possible by the Teresa and H. John Heinz III Foundation. [:10]

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