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It’s the season of respiratory illnesses and with COVID-19, RSV, and flu abound, it’s hard to make it to spring unscathed. Stories in the news talk about the recent rise in respiratory virus activity over the holidays (here, here, and here) and how respiratory symptoms just won’t seem to subside. A winter full of respiratory ..read more

Whoosh! That’s the sound we hear as we journey into the wonderful world of the small in a new microbiology children’s book by Lindsey Millar. Today, we chat with Lindsey on about her process for creating books, the switch from the lab bench to science communication, and more! Note: As an Amazon Associate I may ..read more

The microbiome is one of those topics that can be studied in so many ways and in so many organisms – the questions we ask about the human microbiome can be asked about the microbiome of other organisms. What microbes are there and what do they do? How does diet affect the microbiome? How does... The post It’s Pawsitively Microbial! Three Stories about the Dog Microbiome appeared first on The Microbial Menagerie ..read more

If you’ve been wondering why it’s been a little quiet over here at The Microbial Menagerie, it’s because of a new project I’ve started a few months ago: Baby Storm. Since then, I’ve amassed a small collection of microbiology books for babies and kids (as well as some other science books). Note: As an Amazon... The post Microbiology Books For Kids and Babies (And Some Other Science Books Too!) appeared first on The Microbial Menagerie ..read more

Microbes come in many shapes and sizes, appearing as spheres, rods, and spirals under the microscope. Aside from these more commonly found microbial shapes, many microbes take on a more unique appearance. One of these microbes is the square-shaped Haloquadratum walsbyi, which was discovered in 1980 by A. E. Walsby. It became known as the... The post Meet Haloquadratum walsbyi, the Square-shaped Archaeon Once Thought to be a Bacterium appeared first on The Microbial Menagerie ..read more

During pregnancy, a person’s body undergoes a lot of changes – hormone fluctuations, morning sickness, loosening joints and ligaments, and well, the obvious: growing a mini human. As a microbiologist, I’ve wondered about the microbiome. What changes have occurred in the vaginal microbiome? What do these changes mean? And can the vaginal microbiome be predictive... The post How Pregnancy Changes the Vaginal Microbiome appeared first on The Microbial Menagerie ..read more

Note: As an Amazon Associate I may earn commissions from qualifying purchases from links in this post (affiliate disclosure). I learned to crochet a few months ago for one reason: to make microbes. Though I have been knitting since I was a middle schooler, it wasn’t until this year that I learned to crochet. I... The post Knitting and Crocheting Microbes appeared first on The Microbial Menagerie ..read more

Hearts, brains, and blood. These are some of the ingredients used to grow bacteria. Since the introduction of agar to bacterial cultivation methods by Fanny Hesse, microbiologists have been creating variations of agar medium to accommodate microbes that have different requirements for growth. The ingredient up for discussion today: blood. What is Blood Agar and... The post Blood and Bacteria: Blood Agar Reveals How Microbes “Consume” Blood appeared first on The Microbial Menagerie ..read more

What is a microbe? On the surface, it seems easy to define. Many would say a microbe is an organism that is microscopic, one that is invisible to the naked eye. Many also include bacteria, archaea, fungi, viruses, protists, and even prions in the realm of microbiology. But, there are numerous nuances that challenge the... The post What is a Microbe? Why “Microbe” Is Difficult to Define appeared first on The Microbial Menagerie ..read more