Microbiology
Mobile Genes From the Mother Shape the Baby’s Microbiome
Tiny genetic sequences in a mother’s bacteria seem to hop into the infant's bacteria, perhaps ensuring a healthy microbiome later in life.
What We Really Are Is an Agglomeration of Cells
Siddhartha Mukherjee sings the praises of the cell to offer us a holistic portrait of life.
What Lurks in a Drowned Forest in Alabama?
The next miracle drug might be hiding in a primeval undersea forest.
The Little Miracles in the Invisible World of Plankton
Jan van IJken's short film reveals "an unknown universe inhabited by alien-like creatures.”
The Arcane Research That Prepared Us for COVID-19
Decades of basic science research on an obscure virus helped fast-track COVID-19 vaccines.
Carbon, It’s Elementary, Dear Reader
A selection of illustrations from the new book Carbon, One Atom’s Odyssey.
The Vast Viral World: What We Know (and Don’t Know)
Exploring the minuscule and mysterious world of viruses.
Plant Cells of Different Species Can Swap Organelles
In grafted plants, shrunken chloroplasts can jump between species by slipping through unexpected gateways in cells walls.
Preserving a Sense of Wonder in DNA
A bold project codes human data into microbes that will survive for millions of years.