Microbiology
88 articles-
The Superbug That Devours Ocean Plastic
How genetically engineered bacteria could shrink the growing garbage patches in our oceans. -
Mirror-Image Life
This biochemist is determined to create a new life form by reversing the shape of molecules. -
A New Way to Make Cells from Scratch
How scientists are engineering synthetic cells to be more life-like. -
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. -
Pick Up Your Dog’s Poop or Else!
Science is coming after people who don’t give a @#$% about sidewalks. -
The Invisible Impacts of Calamities
Why we need to study the microbiology of disasters. -
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?
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The World Is Full of Sleeping Beauties
Success in nature and culture depends just as much on timing as it does on brilliance.
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The Secret Life of the North Pole
A universe of microbes is melting with Arctic ice—with consequences for us all.
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Will CRISPR Cure Cancer?
One question for Brad Ringeisen, a chemist and executive director of the Innovative Genomics Institute.
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Mobile Genes From the Mother Shape the Baby’s Microbiome
Tiny genetic sequences in a mother’s bacteria seem to hop into the infant’s bacteria, perhaps ensuring a healthy microbiome later in life.
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What We Really Are Is an Agglomeration of Cells
Siddhartha Mukherjee sings the praises of the cell to offer us a holistic portrait of life. -
The Big Thinker
Nick Lane is asking—and answering—the vital questions about life. -
What Lurks in a Drowned Forest in Alabama?
The next miracle drug might be hiding in a primeval undersea forest. -
The Little Miracles in the Invisible World of Plankton
Jan van IJken’s short film reveals “an unknown universe inhabited by alien-like creatures.” -
Torn Muscle? Hold the Drugs or Surgery—Massage May Be the Best Medicine
If you’re an athlete—even a very occasional one—odds are you’ve dealt with a muscle injury at some point. After all, muscle injuries account for 10 to 55 percent of sports traumas. Often they’re just a nuisance—say, a minor strain that takes you a couple days to get back on your feet. But severely injured muscles, […]
