Microbiology
Latest about Microbiology
![A lone stone grave surrounded by wild summer flowers meadow with a stone wall in the background.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/yAsVBfWXzQnQbyTd33RsjW-320-80.jpg 320w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/yAsVBfWXzQnQbyTd33RsjW-450-80.jpg 450w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/yAsVBfWXzQnQbyTd33RsjW-500-80.jpg 500w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/yAsVBfWXzQnQbyTd33RsjW-650-80.jpg 650w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/yAsVBfWXzQnQbyTd33RsjW-840-80.jpg 840w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/yAsVBfWXzQnQbyTd33RsjW-970-80.jpg 970w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/yAsVBfWXzQnQbyTd33RsjW-1024-80.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/yAsVBfWXzQnQbyTd33RsjW-1200-80.jpg 1200w)
After you die, your microbiome cooperates with soil microbes to 'recycle' your body
By Jennifer DeBruyn published
After you die, bacteria harvest your body for the nutrients that help push daisies.
![Different viruses under a microscope. The left virus is turtle-shaped; the middle and right viruses are shaped like stars.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ALSgXWdv2FnsPUDyLSCzzN-320-80.jpg 320w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ALSgXWdv2FnsPUDyLSCzzN-450-80.jpg 450w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ALSgXWdv2FnsPUDyLSCzzN-500-80.jpg 500w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ALSgXWdv2FnsPUDyLSCzzN-650-80.jpg 650w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ALSgXWdv2FnsPUDyLSCzzN-840-80.jpg 840w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ALSgXWdv2FnsPUDyLSCzzN-970-80.jpg 970w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ALSgXWdv2FnsPUDyLSCzzN-1024-80.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ALSgXWdv2FnsPUDyLSCzzN-1200-80.jpg 1200w)
Bizarre giant viruses with tubular tentacles and star-like shells discovered in New England forest
By Kiley Price published
Giant viruses are much more diverse in shape and size than scientists previously thought, according to a new study.
![Here we see a virtual 3D image of little pink blobs and a white blob with lots of strands coming off it hovering above a yellow mat on the ocean floor.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/pR97F6JmXGfnqG74Etkxci-320-80.jpg 320w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/pR97F6JmXGfnqG74Etkxci-450-80.jpg 450w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/pR97F6JmXGfnqG74Etkxci-500-80.jpg 500w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/pR97F6JmXGfnqG74Etkxci-650-80.jpg 650w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/pR97F6JmXGfnqG74Etkxci-840-80.jpg 840w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/pR97F6JmXGfnqG74Etkxci-970-80.jpg 970w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/pR97F6JmXGfnqG74Etkxci-1024-80.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/pR97F6JmXGfnqG74Etkxci-1200-80.jpg 1200w)
Primordial steroids solve long-standing mystery about how the 1st complex life-forms evolved
By Stephanie Pappas published
Compounds from 1.6 billion years ago reveal a microbial transition that set the stage for much of today's life on Earth.
![A layer of permafrost melts, exposing the rocky substrate underneath.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/mkVTqJgK8g3XqP3tDwqS5F-320-80.jpg 320w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/mkVTqJgK8g3XqP3tDwqS5F-450-80.jpg 450w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/mkVTqJgK8g3XqP3tDwqS5F-500-80.jpg 500w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/mkVTqJgK8g3XqP3tDwqS5F-650-80.jpg 650w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/mkVTqJgK8g3XqP3tDwqS5F-840-80.jpg 840w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/mkVTqJgK8g3XqP3tDwqS5F-970-80.jpg 970w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/mkVTqJgK8g3XqP3tDwqS5F-1024-80.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/mkVTqJgK8g3XqP3tDwqS5F-1200-80.jpg 1200w)
8 ancient 'zombie viruses' that scientists have pulled from the melting permafrost
By Sascha Pare published
Scientists are discovering and resurrecting ancient viruses trapped in permafrost and frozen remains. Here are 8 'zombie' viruses that scientists have pulled from the permafrost.
![Tiny organisms known as plankton float in the darkness in this eerie picture teeming with life.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/h77HZKrCyLNm8Z24M6mpKT-320-80.jpg 320w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/h77HZKrCyLNm8Z24M6mpKT-450-80.jpg 450w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/h77HZKrCyLNm8Z24M6mpKT-500-80.jpg 500w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/h77HZKrCyLNm8Z24M6mpKT-650-80.jpg 650w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/h77HZKrCyLNm8Z24M6mpKT-840-80.jpg 840w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/h77HZKrCyLNm8Z24M6mpKT-970-80.jpg 970w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/h77HZKrCyLNm8Z24M6mpKT-1024-80.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/h77HZKrCyLNm8Z24M6mpKT-1200-80.jpg 1200w)
Bizarre, never-before-seen viruses discovered thriving throughout the world's oceans
By Sascha Pare published
The discovery of a strange group of viruses, dubbed mirusviruses, that infect ocean plankton across the globe may shed light on the origin of herpes.
![An amoeba under a microscope](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/wmgL4ax5vrV8tn4dBueP2e-320-80.jpg 320w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/wmgL4ax5vrV8tn4dBueP2e-450-80.jpg 450w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/wmgL4ax5vrV8tn4dBueP2e-500-80.jpg 500w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/wmgL4ax5vrV8tn4dBueP2e-650-80.jpg 650w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/wmgL4ax5vrV8tn4dBueP2e-840-80.jpg 840w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/wmgL4ax5vrV8tn4dBueP2e-970-80.jpg 970w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/wmgL4ax5vrV8tn4dBueP2e-1024-80.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/wmgL4ax5vrV8tn4dBueP2e-1200-80.jpg 1200w)
What is an amoeba?
By Aparna Vidyasagar, Scott Dutfield published
Reference The term “amoeba” refers to simple eukaryotic organisms that move in a characteristic crawling fashion.
![Image of a rod-like bacterium](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/nQNbSjhpzr54VkHpTHAXQZ-320-80.jpg 320w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/nQNbSjhpzr54VkHpTHAXQZ-450-80.jpg 450w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/nQNbSjhpzr54VkHpTHAXQZ-500-80.jpg 500w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/nQNbSjhpzr54VkHpTHAXQZ-650-80.jpg 650w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/nQNbSjhpzr54VkHpTHAXQZ-840-80.jpg 840w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/nQNbSjhpzr54VkHpTHAXQZ-970-80.jpg 970w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/nQNbSjhpzr54VkHpTHAXQZ-1024-80.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/nQNbSjhpzr54VkHpTHAXQZ-1200-80.jpg 1200w)
Biggest bacterium ever discovered amazes scientists with its complexity
By Nicoletta Lanese published
Scientists discovered an absolutely massive bacterium that can be seen without the aid of a microscope and lurks among the mangroves of Grande-Terre in the Caribbean.
![Protists are one of the six kingdoms of life. This illustration depicts vorticella protozoa attached to an algae substrate.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/S9BjrmNn6gWUR4kjpztxgV-320-80.jpg 320w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/S9BjrmNn6gWUR4kjpztxgV-450-80.jpg 450w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/S9BjrmNn6gWUR4kjpztxgV-500-80.jpg 500w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/S9BjrmNn6gWUR4kjpztxgV-650-80.jpg 650w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/S9BjrmNn6gWUR4kjpztxgV-840-80.jpg 840w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/S9BjrmNn6gWUR4kjpztxgV-970-80.jpg 970w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/S9BjrmNn6gWUR4kjpztxgV-1024-80.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/S9BjrmNn6gWUR4kjpztxgV-1200-80.jpg 1200w)
What are protists?
By Aparna Vidyasagar published
Reference Protists are one of the six kingdoms of life. They are simple eukaryotic microorganisms that do not fall into the plant, animal, bacteria or fungus groups.
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