Microbes

  1. Ecosystems

    A newly found Atacama Desert soil community survives on sips of fog

    Lichens and other fungi and algae unite to form “grit-crust” on the dry soil of Chile’s Atacama Desert and survive on moisture from coastal fog.

    By
  2. Life

    A single-celled protist reacts to threats in surprisingly complex ways

    New research validates a century-old experiment that shows single-celled organisms are capable of complex “decision making.”

    By
  3. Life

    Acrobatic choanoflagellates could help explain how multicellularity evolved

    A newfound single-celled microbe species forms groups of multiple individual organisms that change shape in response to light.

    By
  4. Humans

    Personalized diets may be the future of nutrition. But the science isn’t all there yet

    How a person responds to food depends on more than the food itself. But what exactly is still a confusing mix of genes, microbes and other factors.

    By
  5. Health & Medicine

    50 years ago, polio was still circulating in the United States

    The world has never been closer to eradicating polio, but the disease could come roaring back where vaccination is spotty.

    By
  6. Life

    Fecal transplants might help make koalas less picky eaters

    Poop-transplant pills changed the microbial makeup of koalas’ guts. That could allow the animals to adapt when a favorite type of eucalyptus runs low.

    By
  7. Life

    How a newly identified bacterium saps corals of their energy

    A parasitic bacterium that preys on corals quickly reproduces when it senses more nutrients in its host.

    By
  8. Life

    This is the first fungus known to host complex algae inside its cells

    In the lab, an alga and a fungus teamed up to exchange food, similar to lichens. But instead of staying outside, the alga moved into the fungal cells.

    By
  9. Plants

    ‘Slime’ shows how algae have shaped our climate, evolution and daily lives

    The new book ‘Slime’ makes the case that algae deserve to be celebrated.

    By
  10. Microbes

    Gut microbes might help elite athletes boost their physical performance

    Veillonella bacteria increased in some runners’ guts after a marathon, and may make a compound that might boost endurance, a mouse study suggests.

    By
  11. Health & Medicine

    New approaches may help solve the Lyme disease diagnosis dilemma

    Lyme disease is hard to detect, but scientists are investigating new diagnostic approaches.

    By
  12. Life

    Norovirus close-ups might help fight stomach flu

    Detailed views of a common stomach virus that causes vomiting and diarrhea could aid vaccine and disinfectant development.

    By