Chilean mummies reveal a lost lineage of smallpox
Centuries-old DNA that was found in these mummies belongs to an extinct viral lineage of smallpox that was brought across the Atlantic during European colonization of the Americas
This fabric is alive. Would you wear it?
This biodegradable textile is alive and can host engineered microbes that can change its color or add UV protection
Microbe ‘cities’ may solve a key ocean mystery
Some of Earth’s tiniest life-forms inhabit slowly sinking particles of fish poop and debris, playing a crucial role in ocean carbon storage
Spaceflight supercharges viruses’ ability to infect bacteria
Viruses develop tricks to attack bacteria without the help of gravity
‘Conan the Bacterium’ could really conquer the solar system, new study suggests
New insights into a tiny, tough microbe have huge implications for the search for life beyond Earth
Scientists gave the same sample to seven at-home microbiome tests. The results were dramatically different
The science and the regulations to underpin these tests “just aren’t there yet,” researchers say
Yellowstone’s earthquakes spark microbial boom deep underground
Earthquake swarms can supercharge microbial growth
Newly discovered ‘fire amoeba’ pushes the boundaries of life on Earth
It was thought that complex cells couldn’t survive above a certain temperature, but a tiny amoeba has proven that assumption wrong
How Is Botulism Getting into Baby Formula? Here’s How to Keep Kids Safe
In recent weeks, dozens of infants in the U.S. have been infected with botulism in an outbreak linked to ByHeart powdered infant formula
Cells Have a Crystal Trigger That Makes Them Self-Destruct When Viruses Invade
A special class of immune proteins protect us from pathogens but also drive inflammation and cell death
Scientists Map Microbiome Hidden Deep inside Tree Trunks
Trees’ inner heartwood harbors methane-producing microbes adapted to oxygen-poor swamps and cow guts
Infections of Drug-Resistant ‘Nightmare Bacteria’ Are Surging in Hospitals
The infection rate of one type of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales bacteria has risen by more than 460 percent in recent years. Scientists say people receiving treatment in hospitals are at highest risk