There’s a whole world unfolding in your house, and one that you’ll never see: the life of your home’s microbiome. This complicated little universe of bacteria, fungi, viruses, and other microbes is on every surface and even in the air you breathe. But unlike your pipes, lights, and appliances, this microscopic ecosystem keeps itself running—as long as we don’t meddle too much with it.
Too many meds can lead to drug resistance and future health dilemmas.
This incredibly simple creature seems capable of making pretty complex decisions when faced with a problem.
There are a lot of tips and tricks that actually make your Thanksgiving feast more dangerous.
A recent study in the Journal of Hazardous Materials found that when four different types of post-consumer microplastics collected from the waters of the North Pacific Gyre were placed under a solar simulator, they dissolved into organic carbon.
We may have made a small dent in the number of annual cases, but there are still hordes of microbes out there.
This breakthrough could be key in fighting antibiotic resistance.
Scientists aren’t sure how these critters will fare on the Red Planet and an essay published recently in Microbial Ecology says that’s a big problem. Most talk of microbes in space has previously focused on how we might avoid littering alien worlds with our stowaway species, but the authors of this new paper argue that contamination is inevitable. Instead of speculating on how to minimize an astronaut’s microbial footprint, they say, the space community will eventually need to focus on harnessing the critters to work for us.
Household-style washing machines can provide the perfect breeding ground for bacteria—including resistant strains capable of infecting humans.
Biologists want to understand exactly what chemical compounds inside anal sac secretions are sending which messages.
