Adventure Travel Guide to the Microbial World

Whether blended into a smoothie, served as an ice cream topping, or accompanied by a pinch of sugar, strawberries are a worldwide fan favorite fruit. No matter the season, strawberries can be found at local farmers markets or in grocery stores and are notorious for their bright red color, fresh smell, and sweet, juicy taste.

When I think about the origins of antibiotics, I think of Alexander Fleming and his discovery of penicillin in 1928. However, I have, until recently, failed to consider the fact that bacteria and fungi produce their own antibiotics.

For about 200,000 years the average life expectancy for humans was around 30 years. However, within the last one hundred years the known life expectancy has increased, with the average now being about 70 years.

Brushing your teeth is important to maintain proper dental hygiene. The mouth contains millions of bacteria that accumulate over time when brushing or flossing is not being regularly practiced. The accumulation of bacteria will result in a sticky film of bacteria adhering to the teeth known as a biofilm.

Many microbiologists will experiment with their own homebrewing or winemaking at some point, combining their two favorite past times- alcohol and microbes!  Recently there has been a shift in the larger brewing community, with even more attention to the microbes.  As microbiologists, we know microbes live everywhere, and can influence just about everything.  It comes as no surprise in the article posted by the blog, “Small Things Considered,” how microbes are starting to become pa