Last year, I made 26 batches of homemade yogurt and ate probably over 350 yogurt and granola breakfasts (or some variation of that). Since I left the world of laboratory bench work, the kitchen has become my lab, a place to create edible experiments to satisfy my microbial curiosities. From sourdough to kefir to kombucha…
You may have heard that biology is the “science of exceptions” and this story originating from polar bear poop is yet another example of this saying. It’s a story of host-associated bacteria that has evolved to return to the environment. This discovery is contrary to what’s observed for many bacteria: that evolution of host-associated bacteria…
Every two weeks, I grow a new batch of yogurt, pouring warm milk into my “incubator” and 10 hours later, scooping out the thickened concoction that becomes my yogurt and granola breakfast. In the fridge, sits a small jar of sourdough starter, lying dormant until I revive it again with some flour and water. As…
By Vilhelmiina Haavisto When you think of pollination, you probably think of bees and butterflies flocking to colorful and delightfully scented flowers, transporting pollen from one to another in exchange for a sugary nectar reward. However, there is more to this picture than meets the eye — especially as the third party cannot be seen…
Spooky season is here! While we associate Halloween with ghost stories, haunted houses, zombies, and trick-or-treating, the microbial world contains many eerie, microscopic (and macroscopic) tales. This Halloween, we bring you seven tales of microbial spookiness. (1) Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus, the vampire bacteria Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus has many names such as the vampire bacterium or the predatory…