Book Review: The Invisible War

The graphic novel “The Invisible War: A Tale on Two Scales” tells stories of the macroscopic (nurses) and microscopic (bacteriophage) heroes fighting dysentery at the Western Front of World War I. Interweaving Views of Tales, Scales, and Heroes “The Invisible War: A Tale of Two Scales” works its magic, interweaving the stories of two rarely discussed topics – dysentery and bacteriophage – and two rarely intertwined fields of study – science and history. The resulting story is a rich tapestry full of action and information at both the macroscopic and microscopic levels. “The Invisible War” tells about Annie, a nurse at a field hospital at the Western Front of World War I. In her nursing experience, Annie has learned the symptoms and consequences of dysentery, at a time when the cause wasn’t well understood and no reliable cure was known.

Book review: The Hidden Half of Nature

Our Little Hidden Helpers What do the human gut and plant roots have in common? Interactions with helpful microorganisms. How do both influence human health? Interactions with helpful microorganisms. In The Hidden Half of Nature: The Microbial Roots of Life and Health by David R. Montgomery and Anne Biklé weave a fascinating story of their journey understanding the importance of microbes in agricultural and human health. Hidden Half weaves together stories of science and society, data and personalities to explore how manufactured diets – whether chemical fertilizers for agriculture or high-fat, high-sugar, low fiber diets for people – have damaged our health.The authors use excellent examples and analogies to deliver the science to a general audience.

Culture as Medium: Breaking Down Walls Between Art and Science

Culture: One Word – Many Meanings This spring – Baltimore will host all meanings of the word culture under one grand exhibition – Culture as Medium. Culture. To some culture is art, music, the symphony, opera, classical literature. Culture is societal. It is something that emerges from our collective. However, culture can also be much smaller, individualized, and active. Conducted by medical professionals and scientists clad in crisp, white lab coats. A culture of bacteria, viruses, fungi, or other microscopic cells can be actively maintained – cultured – in the laboratory under certain conditions.

The Hunt is On: Finding New Antibiotics

Today’s post is the first guest post on Mostly Microbes. Dr. Adam Roberts at the University College London and one of his students, Tim Walker, share their initial findings from their citizen science project to isolate novel antibiotics – Swab and Send. Ever wonder what unusual bacteria might be lurking in your kid’s smelly, worn out shoes or under their fingernails? In your office fridge? On the dog’s paws? Donate to Swab and Send and the Roberts’ lab will send you materials to collect the samples, isolate the bacteria, and test them for novel antibacterial and fungicides! Photos of the swab isolates and their antimicrobial activity is posted on their Facebook page. For some of my favorites – see the Storify at the end of the post. I’m looking forward to purchasing a kit and setting the kids (and myself) loose with swabs. – Anne Update 6/21/17 – The Atlantic has a great article about Swab and Send – Could the Answer to Our Most Urgent Health Crisis Be Found on a Toilet Seat?