First new antibiotic discovered in 50 years

A. baumannii, seen here under a scanning electron microscope, has developed resistance to almost all the antibiotics we have, making it a particularly deadly infection in those who catch it. — TNS

Under a microscope, this drug-resistant superbug looks as benign as a handful of pebbles.

Yet, carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (CRAB) is a nightmare for hospitals worldwide, as it kills roughly half of all patients who acquire it.