Of bees and superbugs

One of my favourites podcasts is NPR’s Science Friday [1]. On last Friday’s program was a segment – titled ‘The Buzz on Bees’ – about bees and honey. (To listen to or download it, go to the top left of this webpage [2]). I’ve long known peripherally that bees are remarkable creatures, and honey’s remarkable stuff. ‘The Buzz on Bees’ reinforces this via fascinating info about bees and honey that I didn’t know. Including that Manuka honey’s effective against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus [MRSA], i.e. the so-called superbug [3], and that the US’s FDA has approved its use [4]. It’s approved by the Australian and UK authorities too. Manuka honey [5] is made by bees in New Zealand that frequent the manuka bush, Leptospermum scoparium (pictured) [6]. In 2006 it was shown that Manuka honey’s active ingredient is methylglyoxal [7]. Tests have found that a minimum of 150mg/kg of methylglyoxal’s needed required for the honey to have significant benefit [8]. Isn’t that astounding: a bug that’s resistant to most of the most potent antibiotics known to man, is sensitive to a chemical in one type of honey [9]. It has other medical uses too [10]. For a honey, Manuka’s expensive [11]. But it’s a whole lot less expensive than powerful antibiotics. And a whole lot safer too, with no known adverse effects. The closer one looks at Nature, the more she reveals her beauty and wonder.

My nemesis Ernő

Ernő Rubik (pictured) [1]. Born in Hungary in 1944, he became a professor of architecture. Also a sculptor. And an inventor. Of course his best-known invention’s his eponymous cube [2]. He devised it in 1974 and it went on sale in 1980, i.e. 30 years ago. Originally called the Magic Cube and later Rubik’s Cube, it has 54 tiles , i.e. nine tiles of each of six colours. Figuratively it took the world by storm. It sold millions. Me? Like many people, I bought one early on. I solved it a few times by chance, but I couldn’t nut out a method of how to solve it. So I lost interest in it. And eventually I lost it. Or I gave it away. But judging by the internet, it’s still popular. The current world record for solving it’s 7.08 seconds [3]. Wow! Incidentally, cookbook solutions are available to cheaters [4]. Other versions of the cube have been marketed [5]. But predictably Rubik’s original 54-tiled cube’s remained the most popular version. And an industry’s grown up around it [6]. Apparently Ernő Rubik’s somewhat reclusive and media shy. But ten days ago he was interviewed on Science Friday [7]. And last week he attended in person to receive a Lifetime Science Education Achievement Award from the inaugural USA Science & Engineering Festival [8] (on whose Advisory Board he sits). Well may he deserve it. But he’s a man who’s caused countless people untold anguish and frustration. Me included. Ho hum.