Microbiology

A universe of microbes is melting with Arctic ice—with consequences for us all.

We are formed by more than DNA. Meet the bioelectric code.

One question for Brad Ringeisen, a chemist and executive director of the Innovative Genomics Institute.

Father Time is ticking away in our DNA.

Tiny genetic sequences in a mother’s bacteria seem to hop into the infant’s bacteria, perhaps ensuring a healthy microbiome later in life.

Siddhartha Mukherjee sings the praises of the cell to offer us a holistic portrait of life.

Nick Lane is asking—and answering—the vital questions about life.

The next miracle drug might be hiding in a primeval undersea forest.

Jan van IJken’s short film reveals “an unknown universe inhabited by alien-like creatures.” 

 If you’re an athlete—even a very occasional one—odds are you’ve dealt with a muscle injury at some point. After all, muscle injuries account for 10 to 55 percent of sports traumas. Often they’re just a nuisance—say, a minor strain that takes you a couple days to get back on your feet. But severely injured muscles, […]

Will the world now wake up to the global threat of zoonotic diseases?

A bold project codes human data into microbes that will survive for millions of years.

A new model shows that the denizens of a vast, ancient biome beneath the seafloor use barely enough energy to stay alive—and broadens understanding of what life can look like.

Neural networks have been taught to quickly read the surfaces of proteins—molecules critical to many biological processes. The advance is already being used to create defenses for the virus responsible for COVID-19.

A spotlight on the species that dominates the global ecosystem.