Bacteria

What makes cheddar so good? A community of microorganisms working in harmony.

What Makes Cheddar Cheese Taste So Good?

After a year-long cheddar-making experiment, scientists have unraveled the microbial underpinnings of the cheese's buttery flavor

Keālia Pond National Wildlife Refuge

Could Climate Change Cause More Lakes to Turn Bright Pink?

While rosy-hued waters exist naturally around the world, a pond in Hawaii recently turned pink, and Australian scientists say the same could happen there

The biocrust is made up of lichen, mosses and cyanobacteria.

Parts of China's Great Wall Are Protected by a 'Living Cover' of Biocrusts

The layer of lichen, moss and cyanobacteria helps shield the historic structure from erosion, a new study finds

The number of African elephants, which are endangered, has been declining in recent years due to factors including habitat loss and poaching. A new study identifies a bacterium that could also continue to pose a threat to the elephants.

Bacteria to Blame for Elephant Deaths in Zimbabwe

Researchers are just now uncovering what may have killed 35 of the animals three years ago

Researchers have isolated phages from zoo-dwelling lemurs, giraffes, binturongs, Visayan pigs and Guinea baboons that might help fight diabetic foot ulcers.

Viruses Found in Animal Poop May One Day Treat Diabetic Foot Ulcers, Scientists Say

Known as bacteriophages, the specialized viruses could hijack and kill drug-resistant bacteria

Consumer products made from carbon capture can't undo the damage we’ve done to our planet—but each of them exists thanks to innovations that could. 

Little Luxuries Made With Captured Pollution Hint at Big Frontiers in Climate Science

Entrepreneurs are using jewelry, fragrances and clothing to demonstrate what’s possible with repurposed carbon—and environmentalists have questions

The so-called puss caterpillars have sharp spines that can inject powerful venom into humans.

Scientists Reveal Why Asp Caterpillar Stings Are So Excruciatingly Painful

A toxin in the insect's venom, which can punch a hole in cell walls, could inspire new drug-delivery methods in humans

The Charterhouse Warren site in Somerset, England, in 1972. Researchers detected the DNA of plague-causing bacteria in the 4,000-year-old remains of two people found there.

4,000-Year-Old DNA Is the Oldest Evidence of Plague in Britain

Scientists found DNA of the plague-causing bacteria in the teeth of three Bronze Age people buried at two different sites

Technician Yesmarie De La Flor prepares cultures of probiotics in the Smithsonian Marine Station’s microbiology laboratory in Fort Pierce, Florida. These probiotics were used for testing on diseased corals.

Probiotics May Help Corals Fight a Dangerous Disease Off Florida’s Coast

The new treatment shows promise in lab experiments

A digitally colorized view of Vibrio vulnificus bacteria under a scanning electron microscope

These Flesh-Eating Bacteria Are Thriving Because of Climate Change

New research finds that infections caused by Vibrio vulnificus have increased over the last 30 years and expanded to new geographic areas

Researchers suspect a 75-year-old Alabama man came down with tickborne relapsing fever after being bitten by a lone star tick.

Man's Rare Tickborne Illness Was Caused by an Unexpected Bacteria

Until now, the bacteria from a lone star tick had not been reported to cause tickborne relapsing fever

Dog waste bags outside a park in Queens, New York. The maximum fine for not picking up your dog's waste in New York City is $250.

Shoes Carry Poop Bacteria Into NYC Buildings, Study Finds

With "absolutely astonishing" amounts of fecal bacteria on city sidewalks, an expert recommends removing shoes before entering homes

Fungi and bacteria play a big part in shaping the flavor and texture of cheese.

The Science Behind Your Cheese

The food is not just a tasty snack—it’s an ecosystem

A group of zebrafish

Gut Bacteria Might Shape Social Behavior

A study of zebrafish reveals the mix of microbes in the intestinal tract could influence brain development

The one-minute clip shows the Titanic's bow, portside anchor, hull and massive anchor chain

See the Highest-Resolution Footage of the Titanic Ever Captured

Commercial exploration company OceanGate Expeditions recorded the 8K clip during its 2022 expedition to the wreck of the ill-fated luxury liner

A wave carrying plastic washes up in Thailand. For microbes in the ocean, floating plastic is a new potential ecosystem. And those microbes include pathogens that can make people sick. 

Human Pathogens Are Hitching a Ride on Floating Plastic

Studies show that various harmful bacteria cling to microplastics in seawater

Satellite image of the “milky seas” event that occurred near the coast of Java in August 2019.

First Images of Mysterious 'Milky Seas' Captured

Bioluminescent bacteria are likely responsible for this rare luminous event covering thousands of square miles of ocean

The bacterium, roughly the shape and size of an eyelash, was first discovered in 2009 in the mangrove swamps of Guadeloupe, an island in the Lesser Antilles. The bacteria appeared as long translucent centimeter-long strings on decaying leaf matter in the water.

World’s Largest Bacterium Discovered in Caribbean Mangrove Swamps

The bacterium is the size of an eyelash and visible to the naked eye

While many strains of E. coli are harmless, some can cause illness.

Ancient Strain of E. Coli Found in 16th-Century Mummy

Researchers identified the bacterium in fragments from a gallstone

Las Salinas in Cabo Rojo National Wildlife Refuge

These Salt Flats in Puerto Rico Are Cotton-Candy Pink

The distinct color of Las Salinas comes from a combination of algae, bacteria, salt and water

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