Microbiology

Sea stars are famed for their multiple arms, ability to regenerate limbs, and colorful camouflage. While more than 2,000 species of sea stars inhabit the world’s oceans, millions of these creatures have died from sea star wasting disease (SSWD) within…

The human gut is host to 100 trillion bacteria. To put this number into perspective, bacteria outnumber our cells by more than 10 to 1. These microbial tenants, however, are not just free loaders taking advantage of our generosity. In fact, the majority…

NOVAMOXIN antibiotic from Bmramon at en.wikipediaScientists offer an alternative method to fight bacteria in an effort to combat antibiotic resistance. They generated liposomes, or very small particles that look much like cell membranes. Because of this…

Intestinal microbes impact weight gain, dictate food allergies, and activate neural pathways that regulate stress and depression. They eat what we eat, whether it is a cheeseburger, a kale salad, or in today’s world, an extra large diet soda. A recent…

From Scientists find traces of sea plankton on ISS surface Plankton, similar to those that have allegedly been found on the surface of the International Space Station. A recent article published by the Russian News Agency ITAR-TASS has made the…

Have you heard? A revolution has seized the scientific community. Within only a few years, research labs worldwide have adopted a new technology that facilitates making specific changes in the DNA of humans, other animals, and plants. Compared to…

Presented by Chris Garris Did you know that the average human gut is home to over 100 trillion microorganisms? These numbers are not from a diseased state, but rather are representative of a normal, healthy human gut. Clearly, this suggests that the…

The bony human skeleton needs little introduction: it holds our shape and allows us to go through our motions and activities. Though the importance of the human skeleton is clear, what may be surprising is that bacteria—tiny organisms visible only with a…

Should the discovery of an infectious virus in the permafrost worry us? Scientists have uncovered a so-called ‘giant virus’ in permafrost that has melted as a result of progressive climate change. The virus, Pithovirus sibericum, was isolated from melted…

Figure 1 ~ Bacteria infecting your body continue to evolve as they reproduce. [Image credit: CDC/ Judith Noble-Wang, Ph.D. http://phil.cdc.gov/phil/details.asp?pid=8669]              Like most of the trillions of bacteria that surround us, growing on…