These first microbes would have been extremely simple. Meanwhile, viruses degrade more easily than bacteria, so there are no physical fossils of viruses. Related: What was the first animal on Earth?

Florida has seen a recent increase in confirmed cases of flesh-eating bacteria following the devastating hurricanes Helene and Milton, according to state health department data. The Tampa Bay-area ...

Genetically engineered bacteria can work together to spot prime numbers, identify vowels or even work out the maximum number of slices a pizza can be cut into. The researchers behind the study say ...

Biofilms—slimy communities of bacteria—grow on all sorts of surfaces: from glaciers and hot springs to plant roots, your bathtub and fridge, wounds, and medical devices such as catheters.

Scientists discovered that bacteria commonly found in wastewater can break down plastic to turn it into a food source, a finding that researchers hope could be a promising answer to combat one of ...

Sep. 13, 2024 — In a new study, researchers have determined through both statistical analysis and in experiments that soil pH is a driver of microbial community composition -- but that the need ...

Vibrio vulnificus, a bacteria, increases in concentration during flooding. Hurricane Helene left not only a path of destruction after landing in Florida as a Category 4 hurricane, but also a rise ...

Photo of the flooding in Punta Gorda on OCTOBER 10 2024 in the wate of Hurricane Milton with an inset of Vibrio bacteria. The storm made landfall as a Category 3 hurricane in the Siesta ...

Most urinary tract infections (UTIs) are caused by the E. coli bacteria, which are treated with antibiotics. But some strains may be resistant to common antibiotic types. For the most part ...

Vibrio vulnificus is a so-called “flesh-eating bacteria” that lives in warm seawater. Infection, which is rare, occurs when cuts and wounds come into direct contact with seawater, or when ...