MicroNews is the sister series of our podcast Microbe Talk, where we discuss microbiology in the news over the last month. This episode, Laura and Matt discuss how microbiologists are working to improve the pneumococcus vaccine, the new species of fungus discovered through the power of social media and how microbes could be used to reduce coral bleaching.

Links to the news stories discussed during this episode can be found below:

Coral bleaching: scientists 'find way to make coral more heat-resistant': www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-austral…63C&at_campaign=64

Pollution affects underground microbial communities: phys.org/news/2020-05-human-d…ent-underground.html

How to improve the pneumococcus vaccine: www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/…0519090310.htm

New species of fungus discovered through Twitter: www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/art…ed-TWITTER.html

Bumble bee disease, reproduction shaped by flowering strip plants: www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/…0511154852.htm

Immunity to coronaviruses: what do we know so far?: microbiologysociety.org/news/press-re…w-so-far.html (Read the full review in the Journal of General Virology: www.microbiologyresearch.org/content/jo…v.0.001439)