
Ancient bacteria genome reconstructed from Neanderthal tooth gunk
4 May 2023
Researchers pieced together the genomes of two unknown species of green sulphur bacteria from DNA fragments found in ancient calcified tooth plaque

4 May 2023
Researchers pieced together the genomes of two unknown species of green sulphur bacteria from DNA fragments found in ancient calcified tooth plaque

21 August 2018
A new family of enzymes found in the human gut has been used to quickly turn type A blood into type O - which can be used for transfusions in anyone

8 June 2018
When a person enters a house, they leave behind a unique set of microorganisms that could serve as a fingerprint – and it seems to be accurate enough to spot individual people

16 May 2018
All the green-blooded lizards in the world live in New Guinea, but it turns out the trait has evolved there independently at least four times

19 December 2017
Bacteria and other microbes are all around us but we only know about 1 per cent of them. That is set to change, thanks to a technique called metagenomics

14 September 2017
The systems designed to stop potentially risky research being published and used to make weapons of terror have “multiple shortcomings”, warns US report

11 September 2017
Over 90 per cent of microorganisms are unknown to science, but DNA analysis has unmasked thousands of them and made life's story far more complex

21 August 2017
Viruses are not like other organisms and nobody is quite sure where they originated, but a newly discovered single-celled organism seems to offer a clue

31 May 2017
Life in simulated zero gravity turns bacteria into reproductive powerhouses and may help them form tough colonies that could pose a risk to humans in space