A strain of bacteria preserved for thousands of years in a Romanian ice cave has been found to resist multiple modern antibiotics, according to a new study published in Frontiers in Microbiology.

Researchers studying ice cores from Scărișoara Cave in western Romania discovered a cold-adapted bacterium known as Psychrobacter SC65A.3 beneath a 5,000-year-old layer of ice. Despite its ancient origin, the strain showed resistance to 10 antibiotics across eight different classes.

Scărișoara Cave contains one of the largest underground ice blocks in the world, measuring about 100,000 cubic metres and estimated to be around 13,000 years old. A research team drilled a 25-metre ice core from an area known as the Great Hall and analysed ice fragments to isolate bacterial strains. They sequenced the genomes to identify genes linked to survival in low temperatures and antimicrobial resistance.

Cristina Purcarea, a scientist at the Institute of Biology Bucharest of the Romanian Academy and lead author of the study, said the Psychrobacter SC65A.3 strain carries more than 100 genes associated with antibiotic resistance. She noted that the antibiotics to which the strain is resistant are widely used in both oral and injectable treatments for serious infections, including tuberculosis, colitis and urinary tract infections.

Bacteria are known to survive in extreme environments for extended periods, including beneath ancient ice sheets, in permafrost and in deep-sea or glacial ecosystems. Over time, they adapt to harsh conditions, developing mechanisms that allow persistence in cold and nutrient-limited settings.

The findings suggest that antibiotic resistance can evolve naturally in the environment, long before the development and widespread use of modern medicines. “Studying microbes such as Psychrobacter SC65A.3 retrieved from millennia-old cave ice deposits reveals how antibiotic resistance evolved naturally,” Purcarea said.

While antimicrobial resistance is a natural phenomenon, scientists warn that its spread has accelerated significantly due to prolonged and widespread antibiotic use in human and veterinary medicine.

Antimicrobial resistance is a growing global health concern. The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control has estimated that more than 35,000 deaths occur annually in Europe due to drug-resistant infections. The number is expected to rise as populations age and resistant pathogens spread across borders. Overuse and misuse of antibiotics, along with gaps in infection control, have contributed to the problem.

According to the World Health Organization, one in six bacterial infections worldwide is now resistant to standard treatments.

Researchers say that understanding cold-adapted microbes is increasingly important, particularly as climate change affects frozen environments that cover roughly one-fifth of the Earth’s surface.

As fertility treatments become increasingly popular in Europe, inconsistent laws across the continent are leaving thousands of frozen eggs and embryos in legal and ethical uncertainty. Women are born with all the eggs they will ever have, and their reserves decline naturally after puberty, dropping more rapidly after 35 and reaching critically low levels by 40. At the same time, Europeans are having children later than ever, with the average maternal age now at 30.9 and fertility rates at a record low of 1.46 children per woman, influenced by higher living costs and job instability.

To address these challenges, more people are turning to in vitro fertilisation (IVF) and egg and embryo freezing, a practice known as social freezing. This allows individuals to preserve eggs at their peak quality for potential future use. The global market for egg freezing and embryo banking reached $5.41 billion (€4.55 billion) in 2024 and is projected to grow to around $25.63 billion (€22.1 billion) by 2034.

Saghar Kasiri, head of fertility services at Cryos, the world’s largest egg and sperm bank, described social egg freezing as “almost like an insurance policy.” She explained that patients store eggs in case they are not ready to conceive, but may later find natural pregnancy or change their life plans, leaving the frozen eggs unused. The same challenges apply to embryos, which are often produced in multiples during an IVF cycle. Modern vitrification can preserve embryos indefinitely, but their long-term storage raises moral and emotional questions, as well as practical ones about disposal or donation.

European countries vary widely in their approach to unused eggs and embryos. The United Kingdom allows unlimited embryo creation, transfers, and storage for up to 55 years, with options for donation, research, or destruction. In Poland, embryos cannot be destroyed, and donation to another couple becomes mandatory after 20 years. Italy requires unused embryos to remain frozen indefinitely and prohibits both research use and destruction, with over 10,000 abandoned embryos reported in 2025. Sweden, in contrast, mandates destruction after a 10-year storage limit.

Even in countries where donation or destruction is permitted, the process is often complex. In Spain, clinics must contact patients multiple times to confirm instructions for their embryos. If no response is received, the embryos fall under the clinic’s responsibility and may be donated, used in research, or destroyed. Spain has become Europe’s top destination for egg freezing, attracting international patients, which adds challenges to registry management and follow-up.

Kasiri noted that patients are often hesitant to donate embryos that contain their genetic material, particularly if both egg and sperm come from them, although donated embryos from donors are more likely to be shared with other families.

The rise in fertility preservation highlights the need for clear and harmonized regulations in Europe. Without coordinated laws, many eggs and embryos remain in legal limbo, raising ethical dilemmas and complicating reproductive planning for thousands of patients.

At the heart of the 2026 Winter Olympic Games is more than just competition — it is also the food that fuels thousands of athletes daily. “During the Winter Olympic Games, thousands of athletes have breakfast, lunch, and dinner in the facilities. What are they eating, and what role does nutrition play in the competition?” the organisers asked, highlighting the central role of meals in performance.

Across the Olympic villages, over 10,000 meals are prepared every day. In the Milan Olympic Village alone, kitchens serve around 3,000 eggs and 450 kilograms of pasta daily. Athletes can access 24-hour canteens offering balanced meals tailored to their needs: high-protein diets for cross-country skiers, lighter options for bobsleighers, and menus catering to vegans, celiacs, and various religious traditions, according to the Italian Ministry for Infrastructure and Transport.

“Food as energy, but also as a universal language and a tool for inclusion: in villages like the one in Cortina, everything revolves around one principle,” the Ministry said in a press release. “Those arriving from the other side of the world will be able to eat as if they were at home, without compromising their preparation or recovery.”

Nutrition is critical for athletes, especially during the intense activity of the Olympics. Olivia Morgan, a dietitian and sports nutrition expert at Mass General Brigham in Boston, told Euronews Health that energy intake must match performance demands, particularly during periods of travel, routine changes, and heightened emotions. “Making sure, as always, that we’re hitting our intervals throughout the day and keeping to things that we know we enjoy and that work really well for our body and enjoying the really fun things afterwards,” she said.

Winter sports have unique demands, from Nordic skiing to figure skating and biathlon. Kelly Drager, lead performance dietitian at the Canada Sport Institute Alberta, said Nordic athletes often train intensively in summer to prepare for competition. She also highlighted the added challenge of competing during peak seasons for respiratory viruses.

Carbohydrates remain a cornerstone of winter athletes’ diets. “I think protein has been a major focus in society right now, but really, for athletes, carbohydrates are kind of the king,” Morgan said. Pasta and pizza are central to the games’ menus, paired with local cheeses, cold cuts, fruits, and desserts to give athletes an authentic taste of Italy.

Morgan emphasised the importance of routine and balance in nutrition. “We need to eat balanced meals consistently throughout the day, and it’s boring nutrition; nobody wants to listen to it. They want to follow a fancy diet. They want to take a fancy supplement. But the real roots of nutrition are in that boring balance,” she said.

Nutrition experts also stressed that food should not be purely functional. Drager added that enjoyment, cultural preferences, and a positive relationship with food are essential. “The body is not just a machine and food is just not a means to an end,” she said.

At the 2026 Winter Olympics, meals are both fuel for elite performance and a celebration of local culture, ensuring athletes are ready to compete at their best while enjoying the flavours of Italy.