Researchers from the University of Southampton demonstrated the efficacy of antimicrobial copper against MRSA in a live experiment that was broadcast on April 4 at www.antimicrobialtouchsurface.com. In the experiment, the scientists deposited 10 million MRSA bacteria, which were stained with a fluorescent dye, onto a piece of copper and a piece of stainless steel, which was used as a control. Using a fluorescent microscope, the scientists showed copper destroying MRSA bacteria (methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus) within 10 minutes. While the bacterial quickly died when exposed to a copper surface, it survived on stainless steel—a material frequently used in hospitals. The use of copper could be especially important to the healthcare industry as more and more bacterial strains grow resistant to antibiotics. The researchers report that copper could be used on commonly touched surfaces in hospitals to break the chain of infection.