Two studies highlighted rising antimicrobial risks from environmental contamination and bacterial defenses. Researchers documented accumulation of antibiotics in a major Brazilian river—with concentrations spiking in the dry season—and detected a banned drug inside fish sold for food, raising exposure and food‑safety concerns. The team also tested an aquatic plant’s ability to remove contaminants but found it altered antibiotic uptake in fish. Separately, investigators reported that surface capsular structures in Acinetobacter baumannii modulate antibiotic resistance and immune evasion, linking capsule biology to treatment failure in clinical settings. Together, the environmental and mechanistic findings point to interconnected drivers of antimicrobial resistance spanning pollution, food chains, and pathogen biology.