Antibiotic resistance—what is it, and where are we now? This is such an important topic with implications for us all. We rely on antibiotics to treat infections that may overwhelm the body and cause serious illness. But the bacteria being fought have the capacity to evolve very quickly, developing defenses that render the antibiotics useless, even with the strongest antibiotics on the market.

This is a bad scenario not only because we need effective medicines, but we also need to rely on medicines with the best safety profile—meaning that stronger antibiotics can come with risks and side effects that are not seen with others.

Today’s edition of Science Friday provides an excellent overview. Take a listen and also hear about emerging science on the topic—antibodies and phages may be an important addition to the arsenal. Listen here!