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The Microbial Menagerie

Exploring the microbial world around us

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  • Home
  • About
    • About the blog
    • Contact Me
    • Privacy Policy and Disclosures
  • Meet a Microbe
  • Meet a Microbiologist
  • More topics
    • Fermented Foods
    • How Microbes Work
    • Infectious Diseases
    • Microbiome
    • Microbes & the Environment
    • Microbiology & Society

About Me

Thank you for visiting The Microbial Menagerie! Feel free to explore all the topics below.

  • Blog News and Updates(3)
  • Editor's Picks(3)
  • Fermented Foods(12)
  • How Microbes Work(11)
  • Infectious Diseases(27)
  • Meet a Microbe(13)
  • Meet a Microbiologist(18)
  • Microbes & the Environment(22)
  • Microbiology & Society(13)
  • Microbiology Applications(2)
  • Microbiology Books(3)
  • Microbiology Poems(14)
  • Microbiology Research Updates(3)
  • Microbiome(10)
  • Uncategorized(15)
  • Meet a Microbe

Meet Pseudomonas syringae, the ice-forming bacteria that makes pumpkins warty

Since fall is my favorite season, I decided to see if there’s a microbe that’s unique to pumpkins. A quick search told me no, not really, but I also found that Pseudomonas syringae causes warts to form on pumpkins (to temper expectations,...

Jennifer Tsang
October 28, 2026
  • Editor's Picks
  • Infectious Diseases

When should I get my flu shot? Here’s what science says.

Jennifer Tsang
October 15, 2026
  • Infectious Diseases

A closer look at Bald’s eyesalve, an ancient remedy with antimicrobial properties

Jennifer Tsang
October 14, 2026
  • Microbiology & Society

Microbiology events calendar: Historical events and awareness days

Jennifer Tsang
September 17, 2026
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Meet a Microbe

Meet Helicobacter pylori, the stomach bacteria that’s also considered a carcinogen

Jennifer Tsang
September 8, 2026

Meet a Microbe

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snowflakes in a window up close
  • Meet a Microbe

Meet Pseudomonas syringae, the ice-forming bacteria that makes pumpkins warty

Since fall is my favorite season, I decided to see if there’s a microbe that’s unique to pumpkins. A quick search told me no, not really, but I also found that Pseudomonas syringae causes warts to form on pumpkins (to temper expectations,...

Jennifer Tsang
October 28, 2026
H. pylori electron micrograph showing one bacterium with 4 polar flagella

Meet Helicobacter pylori, the stomach bacteria that’s also considered a carcinogen

September 8, 2026
Microscopy of Cyclospora oocysts from a stool sample

Meet a Microbe: Cyclospora cayetanensis, the parasite behind the diarrheal illness cyclosporiasis

July 10, 2026

Meet a Microbe: Anaplasma phagocytophilum

July 15, 2024
Fluorescence microscopy image of Haloquadratum walsbyi

Meet Haloquadratum walsbyi, the Square-shaped Archaeon Once Thought to be a Bacterium

March 15, 2023

Fermented Foods

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  • Fermented Foods

Homemade Yogurt FAQ: How to Make Yogurt, Fix Common Problems, and Understand the Science

Since I shared my Instant Pot yogurt making recipe in 2022, I’ve gotten a ton of questions about the yogurt making process (also I can’t believe I am still doing this every couple weeks years later).  Below, find a selection of the m...

Jennifer Tsang
July 29, 2026
  • Fermented Foods
  • Microbiology & Society

Holiday Gift Ideas for Microbiologists and Science Fans

One of the things I love about microbiology scicomm is the many ways microbiologists, writers, and artists have incorporated microbes into tangible output. Microbiology-themed books, clothing and accessories, kitchen supplies, and toys have definitel...

Jennifer Tsang
December 9, 2025
kefir in a jar with fruit

The Microbiology of Milk Kefir [Plus, How to Make Kefir at Home]

May 28, 2022
yogurt and granola with fruit in a bowl

Instant Pot Yogurt Recipe: A Microbiologist’s Step-by-Step Guide

March 1, 2022
"Thanks microbes! My year of fermented foods" with photos of various breads, doughs, muffins, and sourdough starter.

Thanks Microbes! My Year of Fermented Foods

November 22, 2021
Cheese wheels stacked on top of each other on a wooden table

The Beginner’s Guide to Cheese Microbiology

May 22, 2021

Editor's Picks

1influenza b microscopy image
When should I get my flu shot? Here’s what science says.
October 15, 2026
2Red seaweed, Eucheuma denticulatum, floats on the water surface
Shorter, milder colds? Iota-carrageenan cuts length and severity of upper respiratory infection symptoms
May 18, 2026
3yogurt and granola with fruit in a bowl
Instant Pot Yogurt Recipe: A Microbiologist’s Step-by-Step Guide
March 1, 2022

Categories

  • Blog News and Updates(3)
  • Editor's Picks(3)
  • Fermented Foods(12)
  • How Microbes Work(11)
  • Infectious Diseases(27)
  • Meet a Microbe(13)
  • Meet a Microbiologist(18)
  • Microbes & the Environment(22)
  • Microbiology & Society(13)
  • Microbiology Applications(2)
  • Microbiology Books(3)
  • Microbiology Poems(14)
  • Microbiology Research Updates(3)
  • Microbiome(10)
  • Uncategorized(15)

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