Stanford chemists have identified and synthesized two new healing compounds in scorpion venom that are effective at killing staph and tuberculosis bacteria.

While tuberculosis testing is now routine, standard tests don’t work for kids, people with HIV/AIDS and others who struggle to cough anything up from their lungs. A Stanford team is developing a new test to fill the gap.

Tuberculosis is a major public health problem worldwide, yet most of the people affected lack access to quick, reliable testing. Now, basic chemistry researchers have developed a new test that could help ease the burden.