Whenever “quantum” enters the scene, science can take many unexpected turns. Common cooking ingredients are no exception to this rule—as demonstrated by European researchers investigating the healing power of vinegar.

A recent ACS Nano paper suggests that antimicrobial nanoparticles significantly boost the bacteria-killing abilities of vinegar, formally known as acetic acid. Specifically, the researchers engineered quantum dots —tiny particles controlled by quantum mechanical effects—to target and annihilate bacterial species. These germ-killing nanoparticles flourished in a weak vinegar solution, according to the paper.

Quantum germ killers

Bacterial infections obstruct the body’s natural healing mechanisms, especially for vulnerable populations, such as the elderly or people with

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