Bacteria have vastly different survival abilities, says Jeri Barak, an assistant professor of plant pathology at UW-Madison. Many species normally live in soil or water, but some of those that live in the human intestinal tract display extreme longevity outside the body.
Salmonella, which causes what we sometimes call “food poisoning,” can live more than 400 [...]

If a piece of toast fell on the floor, would you pick it up and eat it? You probably would if you believe in the 5-second rule, which suggests that your spilled breakfast stays germ-free as long as you snatch it up in five seconds.
But while the 5-second rule remains a popular rule of thumb, [...]

Fast genomic analysis could open the door to breakthroughs in health, ecology and genetics. How do these machines work, and what have they taught about obesity, microbial diversity, and drug treatment?

Using a chemical reaction that changes color when specific chemicals are present, a new “dipstick” may detect spoilage better than the human nose.

Without trillions of bacteria in our guts, we die. But how do these bacteria colonize the bug-free human infant just after birth? New study details bacterial balancing act.

Want to make alternative fuel? Need to get electricity directly from organic slop? Bacteria may have the perfect answer.

The sea floor reveals another surprise: White chimneys with a biology and geochemistry all their own. Could these chimneys tell us something about the beginning of life?n.

Is bottled water safe and pure? Is bottled water better than tap water? Can you overdose on water? And where did the “8 glasses a day” myth originate?

New report says we don’t get genes directly from bacteria.

New infections — HIV, Ebola, West Nile, Lyme, deadly Marburg virus. These diseases don’t come from nowhere. What are scientists learning about the source and fate of new infections?