Features
The Art of Microbial Disguise
Mariella Bodemeier Loayza Careaga, PhD | Dec 13, 2024 | 10+ min read
On the battleground of the human body, microbes use every skill to mask, infiltrate, manipulate, and evade the immune radar.
2024 Top 10 Innovations
The Scientist Staff | Dec 13, 2024 | 10+ min read
The latest group of winning technologies has a little something for everyone—from scientists at the lab bench to those in the clinic and even the classroom.
Detection or Deception: The Double-Edged Sword of AI in Research Misconduct
Danielle Gerhard, PhD | Dec 13, 2024 | 10+ min read
New artificial intelligence tools help scientists fight back against a rising tide of research misconduct, but is it enough?
Infographics
How to Get Away from the Immune System
How to Get Away from the Immune System
From manipulating host molecules to concealing their presence in the host’s body, microbes employ a wide range of tactics to dodge immune detection.
The Regulation of the lac Operon
The Regulation of the lac Operon
Gene expression of lactose-digesting genes is controlled by the lac operon that accounts for varying amounts of lactose or glucose in the cell.
Detecting Research Misconduct
in the Age of Artificial Intelligence
Detecting Research Misconduct
in the Age of Artificial Intelligence
The rise of fraudulent papers, exacerbated by AI-assisted technologies, threatens scientific integrity, but new detection tools offer hope.
Speaking of Science
Invisible and Invaluable
Invisible and Invaluable
Put on your thinking cap, and take on this fun challenge.
Editorial
The Evolution of Microbe Teachers and AI Cheaters
The Evolution of Microbe Teachers and AI Cheaters
In nature, microbes fend off their microbial competitors. In the digital world, can AI-detection tools help researchers knock out AI-based research misconduct?
Contributors
Meet the Team: Melissa Kay
Meet the Team: Melissa Kay
Melissa Kay’s passion for science transitioned from the lab into a career focused on scientific engagement in the social media landscape.
Profiles
Inside the Microbial Jungle:
Tales from a Microbe Whisperer
Inside the Microbial Jungle:
Tales from a Microbe Whisperer
Anne Madden sees the beauty and brawn of creepy-crawly microbes and how they may hold the solution to many human problems.
Pioneering the Aging Frontier with AI Models
Pioneering the Aging Frontier with AI Models
David Furman uses computational power, collaborations, and cosmic inspiration to tease apart the role of the immune system in aging.
A Tiny but Mighty Helper Stops Mosquito Viruses in Their Tracks
A Tiny but Mighty Helper Stops Mosquito Viruses in Their Tracks
Vector biologist Luciano Moreira has been fighting disease-causing pathogens for years. Now he teams up with Wolbachia in this mission.
Foundations
The lac Operon: A Lesson in Simple Gene Regulation
The lac Operon: A Lesson in Simple Gene Regulation
The discovery of an inducible switch in Escherichia coli that controlled lactose metabolism offered the first clues into gene expression.
Wolbachia Turns 100: The Journey of a Triumphant Endosymbiont
Wolbachia Turns 100: The Journey of a Triumphant Endosymbiont
In a century, Wolbachia has gone from a master reproductive manipulator to a partner in the fight against pathogens, exemplifying how a microbe can shape hosts and diseases.