All Under the microscope articles
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FeaturesUnder the microscope: extremophiles of the Earth
Extremophiles are microbial organisms that live in extreme environments normally considered uninhabitable. Over the past few decades, extremophiles have been discovered in increasingly bizarre and unexpected environments around the globe, including within acid lakes, plastic recycling centres and even in radioactive sites such as Chernobyl.
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FeaturesUnder the microscope: pasteurisation
Pasteurisation is a process by which raw milk is heated to a specific temperature for long enough to kill any pathogenic bacteria, including those that can cause food-borne illnesses. In the current day, all the milk in supermarkets will have gone through a rigorous pasteurisation process before reaching our store ...
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FeaturesUnder the microscope: body farms
Human Taphonomy Facilities, also known as body farms, are outdoor research facilities used to study human decomposition under different environmental conditions and stressors.
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FeaturesUnder the Microscope: increasing lab sustainability
Green Impact, an award-winning initiative, aims to support anyone trying to make their lab more environmentally friendly, currently working with over 2000 organisations (within 7 countries), including various hospitals and universities, to increase and support sustainable practices.
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FeaturesUnder the microscope: microalgae-based bioremediation
The rapid expansion of the global human population and the increase in industrial and agricultural activities have led to severe environmental contamination. To remedy the situation, green technology has become more prevalent in recent years due to its numerous environmental benefits.
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FeaturesUnder the microscope: the gut-brain axis
Research indicates that the trillions of microbes living in our gut significantly influence our cognitive abilities, emotional well-being, and decision-making processes. This fascinating connection, often called the gut-brain axis, has transformed our understanding of mental health and cognitive function.
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FeaturesUnder the microscope: syphilis
The number of infectious syphilis diagnoses has reached a new high over the past decade, with an 184.4% rise in reported cases between 2013 and 2023. But what is syphilis and what are the risks?
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FeaturesUnder the microscope: commercialisation of the microbiome
Over the last decade, there has been a paradigm shift from investigating single organisms and single target treatments towards studying the totality of an environment.
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FeaturesUnder the microscope: microbes in space
Read a round-up of the latest advancements in microbiology and space exploration
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FeaturesUnder the microscope: rabies
World Rabies Day is celebrated each year on the 28th of September to raise awareness for rabies prevention and to shine a light on progress in defeating the disease.
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FeaturesUnder the microscope: ocean degradation and climate change
Central to addressing these issues is the understanding and management of marine microbiomes – the complex microbial communities that connect, interact with, and affect all other organisms and the ecosystem, playing pivotal roles in marine health and resilience.
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FeaturesUnder the microscope: microplastics
Examining the issue of plastic pollution with a round-up of microbial advances from the last few years.
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FeaturesUnder the microscope: Alaskapox
Alaskapox virus (AKPV) is genetically more similar to old world than new world Orthopoxvirus.
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FeaturesA festive guide to fermentation
With Christmas approaching, it’s time to delve into the microbiology of some iconic festive food.
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FeaturesVirgin soil effect: how did European diseases impact native populations in The Americas
The transfer of disease across the ocean is believed to be a major contributor to allowing Spanish conquistadors to take over the Americas. How big of a contributor was infectious disease in the European colonisation?
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FeaturesUnder the microscope: marine extremophiles
From the deep pressures of the oceans to the heat of hydrothermal vents, the sea offers a variety of unique environments, which would be lethal habitats for other organisms.
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FeaturesUnder the microscope: the rhizosphere
Microorganisms have diverse roles in the rhizosphere, which can include plant nutrition, promoting growth, and inducing and/or preventing disease.
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FeaturesUnder the microscope: Japanese encephalitis
JEV is one of the leading causes of viral encephalitis globally, widespread across Asia-Pacific and endemic in 24 countries of south and southeast Asia.
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FeaturesLessons learned from microbes that stick to plastic
Lower density plastics tend to float or remain in the upper 30 meters of aquatic environments, interacting with biota in ways still being deciphered.