A study by the California Institute of Technology (CIT) has found that increasing droughts due to global climate change may be creating the perfect breeding ground for antibiotic-resistant bacteria. The study suggests that increasing drought can concentrate natural antibiotics in soil, leading microbes towards evolving antibiotic-resistant genes. The researchers found a strong link between the frequency of antibiotic resistance inside hospitals, and the local aridity index outside of hospitals. This suggests that climate change, particularly intensified, could increase the risks of antibiotic resistant bacteria within healthcare settings. The research is published in Nature Microbiology.