Spacecraft microbes “sleep” to survive sterilization
Researchers discovered a bacterium in NASA’s spacecraft assembly facilities that can enter a hibernation state to survive planetary…
Category: How do microbes respond to changes in their surroundings?
How do microbes respond to changes in their surroundings? Microbes can be viruses, bacteria, archaea, algae, or fungi.
Lava tubes contain unknown “microbial dark matter”
Researchers discovered lava tubes on Mauna Loa containing previously unknown microorganisms with metabolisms and communities that could…
Do microbes prefer biodegradable plastic?
Researchers found that microbes living on biodegradable plastics have more genes for plastic degradation than those living on traditional…
Can 300-year-old Antarctic microbes help us understand climate change?
Researchers demonstrated that microbial DNA from a 300-year-old ice core can help track how microbes respond to global change.
Methane-munching microbes modify the seafloor
Researchers showed that methane-eating bacteria acidify their surroundings and dissolve carbonate rocks on the seafloor.
Microbes make different greenhouse gases during wetland drainage
Researchers found that soil microbes release less methane but more carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide in draining peatlands.
Bat poop corrodes cave formations
Scientists found that bat droppings, microorganisms, and dripping water combine to dissolve cave formations in Slovakia and Poland.
Can bacteria inherit memories?
Researchers found some bacteria pass information to future generations that affects their behavior and ability to resist antibiotics.
Viruses keep acid-loving microbes in check
Researchers found viruses infect bacteria and other microorganisms in acid mine drainage and may control microbial diversity in these…
How do microbes prepare for winter?
Researchers discovered that when cyanobacteria sense shorter days they change their cell walls to survive freezing temperatures.