About Us
Founded in 1944, the American Committee for the Weizmann Institute of Science develops philanthropic support for the Weizmann Institute in Israel, and advances its mission of science for the future of humanity.
Jun 08, 2017...
Most people would agree taste-wise, white bread is bae. The thing is, it's had a bad rap for a while health-wise, with many of us believing that wholemeal loaves are simply better for you... But are they?
Well, according to new research, it turns out white might be alright after all.
We hate to break it to you, but if you've been forcing yourself to eat wholemeal then it might have been a total waste of time.
Jun 09, 2017...
Image via Shutterstock
When it comes to bread, we’ve known for a long time now that it’s better to pick the brown, whole-grain-y stuff over ultra-processed white bread. Right?
Well, maybe not, according to a new study published in Cell Metabolism and reported on by Science Daily. Apparently, we should be focusing less on the bread itself and more on who’s eating it.
Here’s how the study went down: Researchers at the Weizmann Institute conducted a randomized trial with 20 healthy subjects in order to figure out how processed white bread and “artisanal whole wheat sourdough” might affect the human body in different ways. Half of the participants were asked to eat more white bread for one week than they normally did, and the other half was assigned to eat more whole wheat sourdough. Then, there was a controlled 2-week period with no bread, after which time the two groups swapped diets. The half that had originally consumed the white bread switched over to whole wheat, and vice versa.
https://www.weizmann-usa.org/news-media/in-the-news/alien-arsenic-life-discredited/
Jan 02, 2013... Two years ago, at a press conference that drew wide attention, scientists described a newfound microbe in California’s Mono Lake that flouted life’s basic instruction manual. They claimed that the bacterium, GFAJ-1, survived not on phosphate (essential to all known organisms) but on arsenate, a toxic arsenic compound. NASA hailed the work as a step forward in the search for alien life. But now other researchers have discredited the discovery.
Feb 25, 2018...
Evidence is growing that the 100 trillion organisms in the human gut play a role in individuals’ differing responses to food. PHOTO: WEIZMANN INSTITUTE
For almost a decade, researchers have been sequencing the bacteria that live in the human gut. Now, some startups are claiming they can use that technology to help people diet more effectively—and in at least one case, scientists say the approach is showing some promise.
https://www.weizmann-usa.org/news-media/in-the-news/what-are-the-benefits-of-probiotics/
Nov 27, 2019...
Photo Illustration by The New York Times; Getty Images
Walk into a health food store, or even a drugstore, and you’re likely to find an entire aisle, maybe two, dedicated to probiotics. Probiotics are live micro-organisms, usually bacteria, that provide health benefits when consumed at appropriate doses.
According to some surveys, approximately four million Americans take probiotics, which are available as pills, powders, foods and drinks. Probiotics are a huge industry — at least a $40 billion dollar one, according to Zion Market Research — and popular brands sell for 35 cents to $1 a dose, with a shelf life of several months.
https://www.weizmann-usa.org/news-media/feature-stories/un-talks-superbugs-weizmann-takes-action/
Sep 21, 2016...
Prof. Ada Yonath
One of the biggest advances in the history of humankind is the development of antibiotics. They have saved untold millions of lives; rendered toothless diseases that were killers for millennia; and are one of the factors behind humanity’s increasingly long lifespan.
However, like all life forms, bacteria have an imperative: reproduce and live. And they are very good at it. Rapid evolvers, they continually seek ways to get around our killer drugs. And they’re succeeding.
Dec 25, 2016... We’ve known that bacteria live in our intestines as far back as the 1680s, when Leeuwenhoek first looked through his microscope. Yogurt companies use that information in the sales pitch for their product, claiming it can help keep your gut bacteria happy. The bacteria growing on our skin have also been effectively exploited to sell the underarm deodorants without which we can become, ahem, malodorous. Until fairly recently our various microbes were thought of as freeloaders without any meaningful benefit to our functioning as healthy human beings.
https://www.weizmann-usa.org/news-media/in-the-news/eran-elinav-beyond-the-microbiome/
Nov 30, 2018... Where did you grow up?I grew up in the southern Israeli city of Beer-Sheva, situated in the midst of the Negev desert. I remember it being a very happy childhood, filled with a sense of freedom and frequent encounters with the wild desert that surrounded me. I knew very little of the outside world; even a visit to the “big city” of Tel Aviv seemed like a daring adventure. After completing elementary school, my family relocated to New York City due to my father’s job position, which was a tremendous culture shock for me. I started high school in the Manhattan Lennox high school, not speaking a single word of English, knowing anyone, or being familiar with NYC ’80’s culture. But my quick acclimation into this new setting taught me an important lesson that I carry with me until this day: willpower, perseverance, and belief in myself could help me overcome even the most extreme of challenges. My NYC high school days ended up being a period of intense learning and self-development and a nurturing encounter with the world. Following my high school graduation, I returned home to serve (like any 18 year old) in the Israeli army, as a naval submariner (final rank of captain) for over 4 years. This was another significant period of development of leadership skills, comradery with my best friends until this day, and, most importantly, the development of intuitive troubleshooting skills, with an ever-lasting confidence that everything is solvable and doable.
Nov 27, 2019...
Scientists converted a strain of E. coli bacteria that is capable of eating carbon dioxide for energy. (Credit: Kateryna Kon/Shutterstock)
Even with growing awareness of climate change, global greenhouse gas emissions are still climbing. And, in recent years, scientists have worked to apply advances in synthetic biology — the the application of engineering principles to the study of organic life — toward some of our most pressing environmental challenges.
Nov 27, 2019... REHOVOT, ISRAEL—November 27, 2019—Bacteria in the lab of Prof. Ron Milo of the Weizmann Institute of Science have not just sworn off sugar – they have stopped eating all of their normal solid food, existing instead on carbon dioxide (CO2) from their environment. That is, they were able to build all of their biomass from air. This feat, which involved nearly a decade of rational design, genetic engineering, and a sped-up version of evolution in the lab, was reported in Cell. The findings point to means of developing, in the future, carbon-neutral fuels.
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