International drilling efforts over the last decades into the seafloor have provided increasing evidence for the existence of an extensive deep biosphere below the seafloor. There, circulating fluids in the […]
Microbiology & Virology
Posted inMicrobiology & Virology
Candida Albicans Cultures Grown On The ISS Are More Virulent In Space
The yeast C. albicans is a common opportunistic fungal pathogen responsible for a variety of superficial infections as well as systemic and more severe infections in humans. Space Biology scientist […]
Posted inAstropharmacy / Biotechnology, Biophysics, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Microbiology & Virology, Press Release, Space Stations
Astronauts Demonstrate CRISPR/Cas9 Genome Editing In Space
Researchers have developed and successfully demonstrated a novel method for studying how cells repair damaged DNA in space. Sarah Stahl-Rommel of Genes in Space and colleagues present the new technique […]
Posted inMicrobiology & Virology
Solving An Underground Mystery About Where Microbes Live
Though it might seem inanimate, the soil under our feet is very much alive. It’s filled with countless microorganisms actively breaking down organic matter, like fallen leaves and plants, and […]
Posted inMicrobiology & Virology
New Cyanobacteria Species Spotlights Early Life
Cyanobacteria are one of the unsung heroes of life on Earth. They first evolved to perform photosynthesis about 2.4 billion years ago, pumping tons of oxygen into the atmosphere – […]
Posted inMicrobiology & Virology
Physarum polycephalum Heads For Space
When grown in the laboratory, slime moulds (Physarum polycephalum) can spread over several square metres and double in size in a day. But how will they behave once in space? […]
Posted inMicrobiology & Virology
Microbe Discovered That Has Been In Evolutionary Stasis For Millions Of Years
It’s like something out of science fiction. Research led by Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences has revealed that a group of microbes, which feed off chemical reactions triggered by radioactivity, […]
Posted inMicrobiology & Virology
In Search Of The First Bacterium
Roughly five years ago, Institute Head Prof. Dr. William (Bill) Martin and his team introduced the last universal common ancestor of all living organisms and named it “LUCA”. It lived […]
Posted inMicrobiology & Virology
Bacterial Strains Discovered On The Space Station May Help Grow Plants On Mars
In order to withstand the rigors of space on deep-space missions, food grown outside of Earth needs a little extra help from bacteria. Now, a recent discovery aboard the International […]
Posted inMicrobiology & Virology
How To Have Memories Without Having A Brain
Having a memory of past events enables us to take smarter decisions about the future. Researchers from the Max Planck Institute for Dynamics and Self-Organization (MPIDS) and Technical University of […]