Black Death extinct?

This MSNBC article cites research that states that in doing forensic DNA work on bodies of Black Death victims the strain of Yersinia pestis that caused the Black Death is extinct. The next article identifies that there has been very little evolution in the bacterium.The last article identifies how antibiotics have adjusted our thinking of bacterial pandemics.

What do you think of the research? What errors could there be? What other evidence is there that the strain of Y. pestis that caused Black Death is no longer with us? What would have caused there to be so little evolution in the bacterium? Could the conditions that are cited in the latter articles arise again to cause another pandemic?

Organic farming - better for antibiotic resistance

It seems that going organic cuts poultry farms superbug (antibiotic resistance) issues. The resistance drop was very fast, in as little as a year. Read the abstract here.

Another Roundup (glyphosate) research article

It seems that using Roundup on soil year after year, might have an adverse affect on the soil and possibly on the presence of soil fungi.

Another chance to aid in research - Garlic Mustard Field Study

Researchers out of Duke University are studying the invasive species of Garlic Mustard. We can be a part of this if we can identify the plant and note its ecological location. Garlic Mustard is an invasive weed native to Europe that has the ability to crowd out native species in Illinois

Cellulosic Biofuel and Farmland Conservation

What is the benefit of NOT farming land and harvesting the grasses that grow for cellulosic biofuel?

Patentable genes

This Discover article discusses why genes can be patented. What do you think?