Microbes are single-cell organisms so tiny that millions can fit into the eye of a needle. They are the oldest form of life on earth. Microbe fossils date back more than 3.5 billion years to a time when the Earth was covered with oceans that regularly reached the boiling point, hundreds of millions of years before dinosaurs roamed the earth. Without microbes…
As the CosmosID blog illustrates regularly, microbes are remarkable for their ability to shape and affect just about every aspect of the world we live in. Yet, each week we are newly awed by publications that highlight discoveries of microbial feats and applications. This week was no different, as we were captivated by a story about a researcher who aims to cure…
Insects, such as mosquitoes, can spread viruses from person to person or animal to animal. When a virus attacks your body, your body remembers it. The next time it invades, your body is ready to fight it off. Some viruses, though, like the flu, can change so you can get sick more than once. Pretty sneaky trick, huh? Sometimes viruses that normally infect animals…
