This Space Station Miso Tastes Out of This World
Overall, “space miso” tastes just like regular miso—but slight differences in its microbial profile suggest that extraterrestrial conditions affect how microbes grow and flourish
Four Ways the COVID-Causing Virus Changed Science
After 150,000 articles and 17 million genome sequences, what science has taught us about SARS-CoV-2
Read all the stories you want.
Life on Earth May Have Been Jump-Started by ‘Microlightning’
Charged water droplets generate sparks that can forge organic compounds
Your Candy Cravings Might Be Controlled by This Gut Bacterium
Mouse and human studies suggest a connection between a gut microbe and the appetite-regulating hormone GLP-1
The International Space Station May Need More Microbes to Keep Astronauts Healthy
The overly sterile environment of the International Space Station is missing important microbes, a new detailed map shows. If we want to live off Earth, we may need to take more of our bacterial friends with us
Coffee Boosts Beneficial Gut Bacterium
Researchers found a strong connection between coffee and the gut microbiome
Jumping ‘Numts’ from Mitochondria Can Be Fast and Deadly
Bits of DNA from mitochondria can skip surprisingly fast into our genome and may reduce lifespan
Your Friends Shape Your Microbiome—And So Do Their Friends
Analysis of nearly 2,000 people living in remote villages in Honduras reveals who’s spreading gut microorganisms to whom
The U.S. Must Lead the Global Fight against Superbugs
Antimicrobial resistance could claim 39 million lives by 2050, yet the pipeline for new antibiotics is drying up. U.S. policymakers can help fix it
Enlisting Microbes to Break Down ‘Forever Chemicals’
Bacteria can degrade particularly tough PFAS varieties
Queen’s Brian May Is a Champion for Badgers and Science
Queen guitarist Brian May has spent a decade studying the science of bovine tuberculosis, which can be carried by badgers, and has identified a new method of spread
Regenerating Deep-Sea Worms Harness Live-In Algae as They Split into Three
Gutless, solar-powered worms genetically control their resident algae