— The UK’s research path might look a little clearer now with the release of a report by the Council for Science and Technology. Titled ‘A Vision for UK Research,’ the report concluded that there aren’t enough inventions moving through to industry in Britain, and it recommends extending PhD programs to four years to include training in management and entrepreneurship. (ScienceInsider)

— Soil bacteria could help clear the gut of pesky roundworms, according to a new mouse study. Genes from Bacilius thuringiensis (Bt) have been inserted into potato and corn plants for years, protecting crops from insects, but now the underlying protein seems to also kill parasitic roundworms in the intestines of mice. A bit of Bt goes a long way, it seems, though the full effect remains unclear.

— North Korea has developed its first lab to detect drug-resistant tuberculosis, thanks to some help from across the Pacific. Doctors from Stanford University set up the lab in Pyongyang, after noticing how resistant strains could become a major problem in the country without using proper antibiotics. (NYTimes)

– Hey, squirts! According to researchers, the sea squirt could be the latest animal model for Alzheimer’s disease. Injecting sea squirt tadpoles with a mutant protein involved in Alzheimer’s led to the formation of disease plaques within just a day – much faster than the months and years it takes with vertebrates. An experimental Alzheimer’s medication also reversed the effects.

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