Climate action
Today we are seeing climate change in action, increased concentrations of atmospheric greenhouse gases have led to a rise in sea levels, temperatures, and extreme weather patterns. Researchers have acknowledged the pivotal role microorganisms in producing sustainable biofuels, increasing carbon sequestration via soil microbes and reducing methane emissions in landfill sites. Microbial innovation will be vital in moving towards a low carbon economy.
NewsMarine heatwaves pose hidden threat to human health
Prolonged periods of unusually high ocean temperatures can trigger a cascade of effects that ultimately affect human health, from worsening extreme weather events and reducing seafood supplies to increasing mental health challenges.
NewsRewetting severely wildfire-affected peatlands could deliver unexpected climate benefits
Researchers have found that severely burned peatlands, when rewetted, emit dramatically less methane than unburned or mildly burned ones, suggesting that areas already degraded by wildfire could become prime candidates for accelerated restoration.
NewsChemolithoautotrophic breakthrough: bacteria converts CO2 into p-coumaric acid without light
p-Coumaric acid is a critical building block for pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and functional foods. A new study research leverages C. necator H16’s ability to use H2 as an energy source and CO2 as its sole carbon source.
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News
Warming boosts bacterial denitrification, suppresses fungal pathways in paddy soils
A new study could change climate prediction models by enabling region-specific, microbe-targeted strategies to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions from agricultural ecosystems.
NewsSoil properties determine how farmland microbes release nitrous oxide
A study of agricultural soils reports that physicochemical constraints and microbial functional differences jointly regulate denitrification, causing carbon and nitrogen inputs to alter N₂O and N₂ production differently among soil types.
NewsWarming reshapes how nitrogen is stored and lost in flooded rice soils
A three-year field experiment shows that higher temperatures accelerate nitrogen cycling while promoting retention in protected soil pools.
NewsRedistributing sunlight boosts algae biomass productivity sixfold
Researchers have developed a low-energy way to distribute sunlight more evenly throughout algae cultivation systems. The technology increased algae biomass productivity by as much as six times in outdoor testing.
NewsNew discovery could hold key to making microbes more resistant towards industrial processes
In the bacterium Pseudomonas putida, the membrane protein CrcB pumps harmful fluoride ions out of the cells. Researchers investigated how P. putida adapts to a fluoride-containing environment, when it is deprived of the ability to produce the CrcB protein.
NewsTrees and microbes team up to improve nitrogen nutrient processes in future CO2 conditions
Researchers studying how a 180-year-old oak woodland responded after exposure to the CO₂ levels expected in the future discover that microbes “mine” soil nutrients, supplying 30% more available nitrogen to help trees sustain carbon capture.
NewsClimate change is redrawing the malaria map in Africa, study finds
A study quantifying climate change’s historical and future impact in sub-Saharan Africa’s children finds that climate change has slightly increased malaria overall. Rising temperatures could increase the malaria risk in southern and East Africa while reducing it where it is most rampant today.
NewsRecycling food waste would bring huge benefits, but microplastics a challenge
A first nationwide look shows diversion of U.S. food waste from landfills could reduce related climate impacts by 89% and nutrient pollution by 50%, researchers say.
NewsWoods Hole Oceanographic Institution launches the Schiller Center for Reef Solutions
The Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) has announced a transformative philanthropic commitment to advance global coral reef research and solutions. The gift will establish the WHOI Schiller Center for Reef Solutions.
NewsMethane-eating bacteria in rivers won’t save us from climate change
A comparative study in Belgium and Africa on the microbial oxidation of methane in rivers reveals that this biological filter, which is more active in African rivers, remains insufficient to offset the rise in methane emissions expected because of global warming and nitrate pollution.
NewsBacterial cellulose offers a sustainable path for high-performance energy storage
Researchers review the structural, electrochemical, and mechanical aspects of bacterial cellulose-derived carbon electrodes for next-generation supercapacitors.
NewsHow is climate change affecting waterborne diseases?
Researchers find bacteria, viruses and parasites respond differently to climate change, highlighting the need for pathogen-specific public health strategies.
NewsHow an influx of salt may affect microbial ecosystems
Scientists find that as sea levels rise and saltwater seeps into freshwater, stressed aquatic populations may retain overall growth even as diversity declines.
NewsLow carbon dioxide levels improve microbial production of biodegradable plastic
In an innovative gas fermentation process, reducing concentration of carbon dioxide was found to significantly improve microbial production of the biodegradable plastic, poly[(R)-3-hydroxybutyrate]. The study provides a promising strategy for sustainable carbon recycling and efficient CO2 utilization.
NewsBacteria form ‘herds’ to survive predators, offering fresh insight into Earth’s carbon cycle
Researchers have discovered that tiny photosynthetic bacteria band together into protective ‘herds’ when attacked by predators – a survival strategy that could also influence how carbon is stored in the world’s waters.
NewsPhytoplankton apply the onion skin principle
The phycosphere, which surrounds ocean microalgae, is one of the most important marketplaces for organic carbon in the oceans. A new study of chemical signals in this region suggests that the phycosphere consists of multiple layers.
NewsSix years of drought reshape soil microbiomes in tallgrass prairie, study finds
A new study tracking soil microbial communities across six years of experimental drought in a tallgrass prairie finds that prolonged water stress diminishes biodiversity, pushing communities toward less predictable, harder-to-reverse configurations.
NewsResearch team brings the era of microbial cell factories one step closer
A research team analyzed the key bottlenecks limiting the commercialization of biomanufacturing, and proposed an AI-based roadmap for industrialization.
NewsFood waste treatment can boost renewable energy, but a hidden brown byproduct may be holding it back
Researchers have identified a key chemical obstacle in turning food waste into renewable methane, offering a new semi-quantitative way to track melanoidins and showing that higher doses can severely damage the microbial system.