This gel is composed entirely of viruses and can destroy bacteria and plastic

Even in the middle of the XX century antibiotics are designed to kill bacteria, considered as a substance that can cure people from almost any disease. However, scientists were wrong - over time these miraculous substances become less effective, because many types of bacteria have developed immunity against them. Scientists now suspect that the best alternative antibiotics may be the so-called bacteriophages - viruses that destroy only certain types of bacteria without causing harm to others. Recently, one gel was created, which can be applied to any wound and to be sure that all the bacteria are destroyed.

According to the method of the action antibiotics like nuclear bombs, which destroy everything that comes their way. Bacteriophages are much more similar to snipers that kill only those purposes for which they indicate. Due to their tiny size, they easily penetrate the bacteria and actively proliferate until, until you tear the body of a dying bacteria. In the human body in a large number of bacteriophages found in the nose, helping to clean the air from harmful germs. And indeed, in the nature of a lot - in one gram of soil is living longer bacteriophages than people on the planet.

Useful viruses

For the first time the existence of viruses that can kill bacteria, scientists began to speculate in the early 1890s. It was then that the British bacteriologist Ernest Hankin began to study the principle of the spread of cholera - an intestinal infection that causes a sharp dehydration and death. Along the shores of the Indian River Ganges disease-causing bacteria for some reason they do not take root, and in fact in its sacred, according to locals, the water dumped the bodies of dead people. Even now, the river is a paradise for the deadly disease.

Ganges River - one of the most polluted in the world

Scientists have unraveled the mystery of the river just at the beginning of the XX century. It turned out that its banks developed a huge number of bacteriophages-viruses that purified water is contaminated with cholera, before people had time to take a dip in it. For a long time scientists did not even try to use them for medical purposes, but in recent years they are confident that these viruses can save humanity.

Make sure to read: Bacteriophages: Viruses that can save mankind

Antibacterial gel

Recently, scientists from Canada decided to set up on the basis of these viruses gel that effectively eliminates even large concentrations of bacteria. For this, they have grown in the laboratory of a huge number of bacteriophages, we gathered them together and joined together by means of adhesive component. In the end, they did jelly-like substance in each millimeter of which contains 300 trillion bacteriophages.

In this gel drop more viruses than people on Earth

If desired, the scientists can change the molecular structure of bacteriophages, so they began to attack the bacteria, which at the moment can not cope with antibiotics. Also, scientists believe that the bacteriophage can destroy cancer cells, and even pieces of plastic trash. So far, scientists have not demonstrated the effectiveness of its gel on the matter, but there is hope that in the future cancers and polluting plastic waste can be destroyed simply by inflicting on them this gel.