Antibiotic Resistance - Is There a Future?

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It does seem like interest is growing in phages lately. The House of Commons Science Committee had a session on phages just last week. There are quite big barriers to doing trials in this area, says Hannah Devlin. And then also the fact that it's often beingQuite bespoke treatments means that it's maybe commercially a bit more difficult to get into and develop things.

Climate change and pollution are the latest factors contributing to a global rise in antibiotic-resistant superbugs, according to a report from the UN environment agency. Given that no new class of antibiotics has been discovered since the 1980s, what are our best hopes for tackling these bugs in the future? Ian Sample speaks to the Guardian’s science correspondent Hannah Devlin about genetically modified bacteria, the potential of plant toxins, and why scientists are hunting for viruses known as ‘bacteriophages’ in birdbaths and sewers. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/sciencepod