Microbiology
98 articles-
Why Germs Love Our Collective Amnesia
Author Thomas Levenson on writing his new book So Very Small about humanity’s struggle to accept germs’ threats -
The Animals That Exist Between Life and Death
At the dawn of microbiology, scientists glimpsed unseen worlds and stumbled into a philosophical purgatory -
The Unnatural History of Bird Flu
H5N1 is a human creation -
The Incredible Conundrum of Life’s Origin
How to solve biology’s chicken-or-egg dilemma -
Medicine Is Going Viral
Once lost in scientific obscurity, bacteriophage therapy is making a comeback. -
Your Cells Are Dying. All The Time.
Some go gently into the night. Others die in freak accidents or deadly invasions, or after a showy display. -
The Bacteria That Revolutionized the World
How cyanobacteria killed one climate and created our habitable Earth. -
The Speediest Creatures on Earth
How tiny one-celled protists pull off their strange and marvelous feats. -
How Did Life Begin?
By imitating early conditions of Earth in the lab, scientists gain new insight into the origin of life. -
Cells Across the Body Talk to Each Other About Aging
When mitochondria stop communicating, the biological clock starts winding down.
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The Superbug That Devours Ocean Plastic
How genetically engineered bacteria could shrink the growing garbage patches in our oceans.
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Mirror-Image Life
This biochemist is determined to create a new life form by reversing the shape of molecules.
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A New Way to Make Cells from Scratch
How scientists are engineering synthetic cells to be more life-like.
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Can We Stop Time in the Body?
Inside the “out there” quest for a drug that would help doctors save lives before it’s too late.
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Pick Up Your Dog’s Poop or Else!
Science is coming after people who don’t give a @#$% about sidewalks.
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Underground Cells Make “Dark Oxygen” Without Light
In some deep aquifers, cells have a chemical trick that could sustain whole underground ecosystems. -
The Biologist Blowing Our Minds
Michael Levin is uncovering the incredible, latent abilities of living things. -
Through the Microscope, Bacterial Colonies Look Like Bustling Cities
They come and go from diverse neighborhoods, build towers, and cooperate. -
The Longevity Skeptic
This biochemist calls BS on extending human lifespan. Is he right? -
The World Is Full of Sleeping Beauties
Success in nature and culture depends just as much on timing as it does on brilliance.