A revolutionary plastic could prevent bacteria and superbugs causing diseases. Scientists have developed a new, transparent, plastic wonder-wrap. They say it will greatly cut microbe transfer in hospitals, restaurants, kitchens, bathrooms and other places where bugs gather. Researchers from a university in Canada developed the plastic. They say it can repel all forms of bacteria, including superbugs. The material is like the common plastic wrap used to cover food. It can be shrink-wrapped to protect places that attract bacteria, like worktops, door handles, and hospital equipment.
The researchers said their idea came from the lotus plant. They tried to copy how lotus leaves repelled water. Drops of water either sit on the surface of the leaves or bounce off. A researcher wanted to apply that process to the plastic. She said: "We're structurally tuning that plastic. This material gives us something that can be applied to all kinds of things." Another researcher said: "We can see this technology being used in all kinds of...settings. As the world confronts the crisis of anti-microbial resistance, we hope it will become an important part of the anti-bacterial toolbox."