Lights. Camera. Action! How the Hawaiian bobtail squid brings a creative vision to its maritime world of small big screens

by Edward Chenfigures by Jovana Andrejevic On a sunny, nondescript Hawaiian day, a Vibrio fischeri bacterium arises the same as on most other nondescript days: homeless. It hurries along on a ride to work. No, not by car. Not onboard a trolley either. Yes! The great, dynamic Pacific Ocean current. Currency-free and open to all, it’s the road to opportunity and fortune for aquatic hard … Continue reading Lights. Camera. Action! How the Hawaiian bobtail squid brings a creative vision to its maritime world of small big screens

Teamwork Makes the Dream Work: A lesson in communication from bacteria

by Molly Sargen figures by Molly Sargen and Aparna Nathan Despite the apprehension one may feel about working in groups, it’s hard to deny that groups are able to do some things individuals cannot. Hundreds of studies have found that working in groups has many benefits, including increased creativity and productivity. Many other studies have aimed to determine optimal conditions for group work. Importantly, most … Continue reading Teamwork Makes the Dream Work: A lesson in communication from bacteria

Probiotics prevents dangerous pathogen infection by making the bacteria ‘deaf’

If you’ve visited a supermarket recently, you might have noticed that yogurts and kombucha are taking up more shelf space. These products are two popular examples of probiotics: living bacteria touted to provide human health benefits. It’s not just a millennial fad – the probiotics market is projected to be over $60 billion by 2023. The accepted belief is that good bacteria drive out bad … Continue reading Probiotics prevents dangerous pathogen infection by making the bacteria ‘deaf’