More Features
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FeaturesRewilding the microbiome: how the SanaTerra Living Lab bridges science and tradition to restore One Health
After years of living and working across four continents, Faiza Hajji and her family fell in love with La Vera, a fertile corner of Extremadura, western Spain. This journey gave rise to SanaTerra One Health & Microbiome Living Lab, founded in 2024: a platform where scientists, farmers, educators, and communities co-create innovations rooted in microbiome health, regenerative agriculture, and planetary wellbeing.
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FeaturesMicrobial-induced pathologies in 80-million-year-old dinosaur bones
In the microbiology laboratory, we observe infection in real-time: bacterial colonies spreading across agar plates, inflammatory markers rising in blood samples, and immune responses captured at single timepoints. But what if we could watch only one frame at a time of an entire infection unfold from initial pathogen invasion through ...
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Long ReadsWhat are we swimming in? The growing need for Microbial Source Tracking
The pandemic changed the way many of us connect with the outdoors. Wild swimming and other aquatic pursuits have seen an increase in public interest since 2020, and with that, a heightened awareness of water quality.
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FeaturesBreathing alien air: the search for biosignatures on exoplanets
Among the most promising indicators of biogenic elements are volatile organic compounds produced by life forms. The detection of specific metabolites such as dimethyl sulphide (DMS) and related compounds may hint at extraterrestrial biology.
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FeaturesEnhancing Nigerian fermented foods for nutrition, health and sustainability
Fermented foods are integral to Nigerian cuisine and culture, providing sustenance, health benefits, and cultural heritage. These foods owe their unique flavours, textures, and health benefits to fermentation, a process driven by a diverse community of microorganisms, including bacteria, yeasts, and moulds.
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FeaturesHarnessing soil microbes to weather rock and fight climate change
Discover how Bacillus subtilis strain MP1 accelerates silicate weathering in agricultural soils, locking away 7.3 tonnes of CO2 per hectare annually through standard agricultural practices.
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FeaturesHow robotics and AI are shaping the future of bioprocess R&D
A technological shift is transforming the biomanufacturing landscape. Robotics and AI are no longer futuristic concepts, they are reshaping microbiology labs, enabling scientists to tackle once-intractable problems and accelerate innovation.
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Long ReadsTiny helpers: how our gut bacteria could protect us from forever chemicals
We are constantly exposed to things in our environment from the medicines we take and contaminants in the food we eat, to particles in the air we breathe. Figuring out which chemicals are harmful and how they affect us, is essential to make our surroundings safer.
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FeaturesFrom barnyard to bench: what sequencing reveals about microbial life across the farm-scape
We understand the water cycle and the flow of nutrients in ecological systems, but might microbial life also follow a cyclical, interconnected pattern, and how does that look with regards to food production?
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FeaturesHow artificial intelligence and machine learning are transforming agriculture’s future
Agriculture is at a pivotal moment in history, and the sector needs to adopt new ideas to survive and flourish. AI and Machine Learning are no longer futuristic concepts; they are transforming farming today and helping to solve problems that have persisted for a long time.
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FeaturesTap water troubles: how drinking water systems contribute to NTM infections
Commonly found in dust and soil, NTM are worrying microbiologists and health experts alike. But is tap water an unsuspected vehicle for these deceptively harmful infections?
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FeaturesGenome sleuths: using DNA to trace the evolution of animal-to-human pathogens
Zoonotic spillovers have become a significant focus of global health, with outbreaks like SARS and COVID-19 underscoring how quickly these events can escalate into worldwide crises. Genomics is crucial in tracing the origins and predicting the emergence of zoonotic threats.
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FeaturesWhat can microbiology do for psychiatry
Explore the intersection of microbiology, mental disorders, and treatment.
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FeaturesTermite hydrogen: a wildcard in the fight against climate change
Whilst termites are infamous for causing economic damages and destruction of property, their ability to naturally produce hydrogen is virtually unheard of. Could they be used to solve the energy crisis?
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FeaturesThe growing threat of nontuberculous mycobacteria infections
Once overlooked, NTM are now drawing increased attention as their infections pose significant and complex diagnostic challenges. Advances in diagnostic technologies offer the potential to overcome these hurdles to enable precise species-level detection, guide targeted therapy.
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FeaturesClimate, conflict, and antimicrobial resistance: unravelling the threat to global health
Emerging evidence is revealing the interplay between AMR and climate change. How are they linked, and how can we address the challenge?
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FeaturesBlack gold, blue coke, green solutions?
The world needs clean water, and a growing population both raises that demand and constrains the supply. Thankfully, many sanitation technologies have emerged over the past few years, offering new ways to get safe sources of drinking or pharmaceutical-grade water. However, high-tech solutions are not always ideal. Some of the ...
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FeaturesWhat is eating my rocks? A possible novel biological niche inside limestone
“It seems something biological has once lived inside rocks in Namibia.” Read the story of this unusual discovery…
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FeaturesParasitic worms: an unexplored source of novel antimicrobials?
Novel antimicrobials are desperately needed to combat the AMR crisis, however, the clinical and preclinical pipeline for novel antimicrobials is virtually stagnant. This article will shed light on parasitic worms as an unexplored and underappreciated source of antimicrobial peptides.
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FeaturesThe rise of the early cystic fibrosis lung coloniser, Haemophilus influenzae
With the increasing availability of modulator therapies for people with cystic fibrosis, end-stage infection with Pseudomonas aeruginosa is becoming less common. But are we going to see a rise in the prevalence of the early cystic fibrosis lung pathogen Haemophilus influenzae?