Microbes

More Stories in Microbes

  1. Round Emiliania huxleyi cells, some clustered around smaller rod-shaped bacteria, consuming them
    Microbes

    Some ‘friendly’ bacteria backstab their algal pals. Now we know why

    The friendly relationship between Emiliana huxleyi and Roseobacter turns deadly when the bacteria get a whiff of the algae’s aging-related chemicals.

    By Elise Cutts
  2. Three Halteria ciliates shown on a blue background
    Microbes

    Scientists have found the first known microbes that can eat only viruses

    Lab experiments show that Halteria ciliates can chow down solely on viruses. Whether these “virovores” do the same in the wild is unclear.

    By Erin Garcia de Jesús
  3. A collection of different cheeses stacked in a pile with a black background.
    Microbes

    Meet some of the microbes that give cheeses flavor

    Knowing which genus of bacteria is responsible for which flavor could open the door to new types of cheese.

    By Allie Wilkinson
  4. photo of someone pulling a pint of beer
    Microbes

    The ancestor to modern brewing yeast has been found hiding in Ireland

    Previously found in Patagonia and elsewhere, the brewing yeast Saccharomyces eubayanus has been found in Europe for the first time.

    By Darren Incorvaia
  5. A photo of Louis Pasteur's head surrounded by illustrations of scientific equipment, leaves, and swirls
    Health & Medicine

    Louis Pasteur’s devotion to truth transformed what we know about health and disease

    Two centuries after his birth, Louis Pasteur's work on pasteurization, germ theory and vaccines is as relevant as ever.

    By Tom Siegfried
  6. A photo of a researcher looking at a clear petri dish with blue dots on it.
    Health & Medicine

    Here’s how mysterious last-resort antibiotics kill bacteria

    Scientists are finally getting a grip on how a class of last-resort antibiotics works — the drugs kill bacteria by crystallizing their membranes.

    By Elise Cutts
  7. A close up of orange bacteria on a yellow background
    Microbes

    Ancient bacteria could persist beneath Mars’ surface

    Radiation-tolerant microbes might be able to survive beneath Mars’ surface for hundreds of millions of years, a new study suggests.

    By Sid Perkins
  8. Color-enhanced scanning electron micrograph of the fungus Aspergillus nidulans shows fungal growths that look like broccoli clusters
    Microbes

    How fungi make potent toxins that can contaminate food

    Genetically engineering Aspergillus fungi to delete certain proteins stops the production of mycotoxins that can be dangerous to human health.

    By Deborah Balthazar
  9. Bacillus subtilis spores
    Microbes

    How dormant bacteria spores sense when it’s time to come back to life

    Bacterial cells shut down and become spores to survive harsh environments. An internal countdown signals when it’s safe for bacteria to revive.

    By Darren Incorvaia