Microbiology

Bits of DNA from mitochondria can skip surprisingly fast into our genome and may reduce lifespan

Analysis of nearly 2,000 people living in remote villages in Honduras reveals who’s spreading gut microorganisms to whom

Antimicrobial resistance could claim 39 million lives by 2050, yet the pipeline for new antibiotics is drying up. U.S. policymakers can help fix it

Bacteria can degrade particularly tough PFAS varieties

Queen guitarist Brian May has spent a decade studying the science of bovine tuberculosis, which can be carried by badgers, and has identified a new method of spread

Gutless, solar-powered worms genetically control their resident algae

You can thank yeast and bacteria cultivated over generations for the distinctive taste and smell of the oldest leavened bread in history

Molecular biology could have changed the mpox epidemic—and could stop future outbreaks

Giving cells an appetite for cancer could enhance treatments

Recent bacterial outbreaks from consuming cheese made from unpasteurized milk, or “raw milk,” raise questions about the safety of eating these artisanal products

Odd cell divisions could help explain why even young, healthy couples might struggle to get pregnant

Microbes that lurk in decomposing human corpses could help forensic detectives establish a person's time of death