Cultivating microorganisms in the lab has not always been what it is now. Thanks to Angelina Fanny Hesse (1850-1934), microbiologists now have a solid medium to grow microbes in the lab. Before Hesse stepped onto the scene, bacteriologists were cultivating microorganisms on an assortment of food – potato, coagulated egg whites, and meat. In 1819,…
The fight for survival has led to the evolution of many strategies to obtain food, and some fungi have taken on a carnivorous lifestyle. There are over 700 species of carnivorous fungi identified that prey upon nematode worms, rotifers, and tardigrades. While fungi usually dine on decaying organic matter, sometimes that is not enough. Decaying…
Many claim that there is something special in the water or air that gives San Francisco sourdough bread its unique tang and local bakers often say that no one outside of the area can replicate the flavor and texture of San Francisco sourdough. Sourdough bread is made from a starter – a slurry of water…
In the UK, thousands of oak trees are “bleeding,” oozing dark liquid from cracks on their bark. What lies underneath are fluid-filled necrotic cavities that disrupts their life force by impeding the normal flow of nutrients and water. Taking advantage of the weakened state of the trees, are bark-boring beetles, which lay their eggs in…
Deep within the ocean, scientists and explorers alike have discovered all sorts of creatures almost unfathomable to our terrestrial minds. Giant octopus, electric eels, and anglerfish have all tickled our imagination over the past several centuries, and left us in awe of the capabilities of life. A more recent discovery is that of the bone-eating…