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[ChairmanPoo]

They kind of can. There are resistance mechanisms that are only expressed in the presence of the relevant antiobiotic.

[Max™]

That's generally for stuff targeting specific proteins or enzymes which can wind up working on another type under certain conditions, as I recall. Could be wrong, I only have a passing familiarity with the field so I'm mostly drawing on the chemistry and biology I know to fill in gaps. Weird molecular biochemistry stuff that may have been discovered in the last 5 or 6 years could quite possibly explain that too, shit like that happens now and then.

[Reelya]

I had to use the bathroom at the time and didn't feel like taking the time to search for a less clickbaiting link.

Gimme a sec

http://www.abc.net.au/triplej/programs/hack/superbugs/7844048
http://inhabitat.com/student-discovers-a-way-to-destroy-superbug-bacteria-without-antibiotics/
http://www.smh.com.au/technology/sci-tech/beyond-antibiotics-starshaped-protein-kills-feared-superbugs-20160912-grehpx.html

there you go

https://www.ted.com/talks/bonnie_bassler_on_how_bacteria_communicate
Another bit of interesting research is into how bacteria communicate with each other. Some researchers found two chemicals emitted from each bacteria - one is strain-specific, the other is universal to all bacteria. They use one to say how many of the compadres are nearby and the other to estimate the total number of all bacteria. The bacteria stay inert until they have the numbers then simultaneously launch the attack on the immune system. This opens up several options - either false intel or jamming up the receptors.

[MetalSlimeHunt]

Do I hear "hijacking bacteria as erstaz nanomachines"?

[Descan]

SMALLDEVICES, CHILD

[Max™]

ATOMICSCALETOOLS, PROGENY

[Dozebôm Lolumzalìs]

If we could do that, why be covert? Just kill the bacteria

[Reelya]

"Just Kill the bacteria" is what lead to the current ineffectiveness of antibiotics.

[Sirus]

I thought "just kill some but not all of the bacteria" was the main cause. Folks not taking their full prescriptions, stuff like that.

[Frumple]

If we could do that, why be covert? Just kill the bacteria

Why kill the bacteria if you can instead wololo the little shits? The only thing better than a dead enemy is a living ally.

[MetalSlimeHunt]

I thought "just kill some but not all of the bacteria" was the main cause. Folks not taking their full prescriptions, stuff like that.

It massively accelerates the process by turning people into breeders for resistant bacteria, but those resistant strains already existed to begin with. Even without the genetic bottleneck, we'd still have eventually ended up here even if people weren't stupid fucks who refuse to follow directions.

I'm not sure what the resistance progression is like for phage therapy, but I wouldn't be surprised if it was a good deal slower.

[Sheb]

Its fairly fast, its just that you can also evolve new phages.

[iceball3]

That sound somewhat dogmatic of science...

That said, I know science is probably the most rational school of thought there is, but... how do we /know/? Science by its own definition makes it pretty damn difficult to spot any flaw it may have.

I thought science was, by definition, an attempt to refute positive results, and accept them as a viable theory when results are repeated nonetheless? Scientific method and all that.
So by that definition, science is designed to search for and find, flaunt it's own flaws, very thoroughly, for the express purpose of tearing them out, and with the expectation that the overall picture will never be a complete one.
Concerning the scientific method, specifically, but it's a rather significant portion of the whole meaning of science and all.

[hops]

Well I was referring to how the reality love to fuck over scientists because we can't have nice things.

[Reelya]

That actually sounds cool but it also sound like the polymers will give you cancer.

Or something. I don't know, it just feels like as far as medical science is concerned getting people to not die is really hard.

They're protein chains, not plastic polymers.